World Spins Madly On
by Jinx1983
Summary: AU- This is the flip-side version of A Girl In King Alistair's Court - Alistair, drunk and distraught, wanders Ferelden in an intoxicated stupor, only to somehow be magically transported to present day New York. Rated M for later.
1. Prologue

**First A/N ever: **Now isn't that strange, who on earth ever thought they'd see this huh? How did this happen, you wonder. The answer is, WITH A HELLZ LOAD OF DEDICATION, TRICKINESS AND SNEAKINESS BY ALL THOSE MONKEYS ON CMDA, ESPECIALLY A FEW GODDESSES AND QUEENS WHO LOVE THEIR WHIPS. A very special, and heartfelt thanks to the monkeys, all of whom are fantastic authors in their own rights. Everyone of them are awesome people and great friends** (_Turnip slapping included_).**

I ESPECIALLY NEED TO THANK A FEW IN PARTICULAR** (****My partners in crime and fan-fiction****). **

**To RANDOMWITTERING (_Impossible Dreams_), **My co-monkey, fellow beta, awesome author, sneaky minx and all those other things she'd hurt me for not saying.

**WARROSE (_A Purpose and What Could Have Been_), **for always making my days scandalously awesome, even if she's trying to steal a handsome Theirin out from under my nose.

**ISABELLA MONROE (_A Girl In King Alistair's Court, The Count Of Monte Antivo and Mirror Images_)** I am still shocked and amazed by how she succeeded in making me (Miss I will never write a fanfic in my life) believe that I actually had it in me to try. The time and effort you put into helping me get all of my creative juices flowing is greatly appreciated. It is an honor knowing you and being able to call you friend. So thank you a million times over.

**This story is an alternative version to Isabella's A Girl In King Alistair's Court and with Isabella's blessing I will be exploring this AU.**

**Enjoy!**

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Prologue

It was a cold, rainy night in Denerim, the streets of the capital were wet and empty. Everyone was staying inside to be sheltered from the massive storm that ripped through every corner of the city. The Blight had been ended a mere three months ago and the citizens were still in the process of rebuilding all that had been lost.

A large figure sat slumped in a shadowy corner of the Gnawed Noble tavern, drinking himself into a stupor because it was the only way he could think of to keep the memories at bay. His mind kept spinning back to the last day that he saw her. She was his fellow Grey Warden, his friend and most importantly, the love of his life. He felt betrayed by her. She had conscripted the man who caused the deaths of countless Grey Wardens, Duncan and the King. His memories kept haunting him, replaying their last awful interaction over and over in his mind.

_"You want to make him a Warden, Why?" Abigail had asked the Senior Warden in surprise.  
_

_"There are only three Wardens in all of Ferelden and there are... compelling reasons to have as many Wardens on hand to deal with the Archdemon as possible." Riordan replied.  
_

_Alistair felt as if his heart was being ripped out of his chest. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Making Loghain a Warden was more than just unthinkable, to him, it would be worse than death.  
_

_Anora came forward with her hands stretched out in front of her. "The joining is often fatal is it not? If he survives the joining, you have gained a general. If he does not then you have your revenge. Does that not satisfy you?"  
_

_"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Alistair shouted in sudden fury. "Riordan, this man abandoned our brothers and then blamed us for the deed. He hunted us down like animals, he tortured you! How can we just forget that?"  
_

_Abigail reached out to take his hand, but Alistair pulled away from her. She looked him in the eyes, begging him to listen. "Alistair, Riordan has a point. Maybe we should put him through the joining," she said, trying to appeal to him.  
_

_He wanted to trust that she had a reason for asking him to agree to such a disastrous decision. But he couldn't bring himself to do it, it was just too wrong. It felt like he wasn't just betraying Duncan and the other Grey Wardens, but himself as well.  
_

_"No, joining the Wardens is an honor not a punishment…"  
_

_"Alistair, please listen to me." Abigail begged.  
_

_"No! You make him a Warden and you cheapen us all. I will not stand next to him as a brother, I won't." Alistair declared.  
_

_"Alistair, please stand by me in this, I need you to trust me." she pleaded.  
_

_"I can't believe you are actually asking me this, you of all people. Thanks to him and Howe, you lost your entire family, your home. Now you want to make him our brother?" Alistair said  
_

_"Yes Alistair, I.. I believe Riordan is right. The three of us aren't enough. We need more Wardens, we need all the help we can get." Abigail responded, desperately trying to get through to him.  
_

_"We need him like we need to get stabbed in the back. I will not stand beside him, I won't!" Alistair said again, bluntly.  
_

_"So it's him or you? Is that what you're telling me?" Abigail asked, shocked that it had come to this.  
_

"_Yes! How can it be any other way. I just cannot and will not call Duncan and Cailan's murderer my brother" Alistair retorted angrily.  
_

_"Loghain will go though the Joining and that's final. We need to do whatever is necessary to defeat the Blight, that is what Grey Wardens do" Abigail said, steeling her heart and resolving to do what she must.  
_

_"If it's what I need to do to get justice, I'll do it, I'll take the crown" Alistair declared.  
_

_"Surely you can see what a disastrous King he will be. Acting like a child because he can't get his way." Anora said with haste, sensing an opportunity.  
_

_Abigail looked at Anora for a long moment and the woman at least had the grace to look away, a faint flush appearing on her cheeks. She shook her head and looked back at Alistair sadly and finally responded, "As much as it pains me to admit it, you're right Anora, he is unable to see the bigger picture here. The crown remains yours."  
_

_"You're supporting Anora? You dare! After everything we've struggled to achieve?. Fine!, I'm leaving. I want nothing more to do with you or the Order. NOTHING!" Alistair shouted.  
_

And with that he had walked away, away from the Grey Wardens, away from her. She was his life and she meant everything to him, but the moment she chose to conscript Loghain, she may as well have stabbed him in the heart. He felt like he never really knew her at all.

A few days after, he was sitting at the back of a rundown little pub close to Dragon's peak. He was drinking heavily to try and ease the pain in his heart. He'd heard the news that his Abby was gone, that she had been the one to land the final blow against the Archdemon and had died. Alistair still didn't know exactly how it had happened. He kept hoping that maybe he was just too drunk, that he might have heard wrong, but that wasn't so. She had died, and he hadn't been there to save her. So he drank more and more, eventually passing out for three days straight. When he had finally come round, he found out he had completely missed her funeral as well. He'd wanted to die, unable to imagine his life without her. Even when she'd betrayed him, he'd still loved her, and he always would. But she was gone now, and he'd done nothing to stop it.

He'd eventually found himself in Denerim again and had taken refuge in the familiar tavern. His drinking had gotten so out of hand, he was completely oblivious to his surroundings. A fist he never saw coming slammed into his face, with such force he thought his head was getting detached from the impact. He was lying on the floor shocked and confused at what had just happened. He knew his face was hurting in the worst way, and even with all the ale he had been drinking, it didn't help dull the pain at all. He instinctively grabbed his face with his hand, trying his best not to make it hurt more than it did already and he looked up to see a very pissed off woman towering over him.

"So, after months of everyone searching, I just happen to find Mr High and Mighty drinking like a dwarf in the Gnawed Noble. Aren't I the lucky one?" She said with blatant sarcasm, disgust written across her pretty face.

"Leli.." Alistair croaked, blinking to see her through the haze of ale, still seeing stars

"Don't you even think of calling me Leli, only my friends get to call me that. You.. you are not even good enough to be my enemy" She hissed through gritted teeth.

"What do you want from me then? Just leave me the hell alone. I have enough to deal with already, I don't need you preaching at me as well" Alistair said as he started getting back up to sit in his chair.

"Preaching at you? You honestly think I would come here for that? Oh no, my name is not Wynne, Alistair, I am not here to hold your hand and tell you that everything will be alright. I am here... I am here... Oh fuck it! I wanted to kill you for what you did. I wanted to make you suffer the way you made her suffer. So you could feel just a fraction of what she felt after you left." Leliana said as she tried her best to gain control of her rage.

"Why don't you do it then? Be my guest, you will only be doing me a favor" Alistair replied bitterly.

"Thinking about only your own feelings and stupid pride again? Do you really think the rest of us are having a high old time? We loved her too, all of us did. If.. if you had stayed, she might still be alive today. You didn't just walk out on her either, you abandoned us all. I wonder Alistair, how do you sleep at night?" She spat at him with venomous intent.

Alistair looked at her as tears started burning his eyes. "I don't. I can't even remember the last time I was able to, no.. I do remember, it was the night before the Landsmeet, the last night I was able to hold her in my arms and tell her how much I loved her. The night right before she stabbed me in the back by picking that bastard Loghain over us. I loved her Leliana, I wanted to marry her and spend the rest of my life making her happy, showing her just how special she was to me, but instead she decided that.. that utter son of a bitch was better suited to her needs. There, now you know, are you happy now?" he choked out with angry tears spilling across his face.

"No, I'm very far from happy, Alistair. She was everything to me, same as she was to all of the others. But WE didn't cut bait and run when she made a decision that didn't suit us. And she was right in recruiting him too you know. While we are on that topic. There was a reason that she needed Loghain to take the Joining, I don't know what it is because she could only tell me that it was a Grey Warden secret and it would have made a great deal of difference if you were still there. But you weren't were you? No.. I had to witness the strongest woman I have ever known, break down like a little child, because the man that she loved with all of her being, chose to leave her. You left them because of your own selfish ego, because you couldn't get your way" Leliana explained, pacing back and forth, trying not to hit him again.

"I left be... What?...What do you mean them?" Alistair asked feeling very bewildered at Leliana's mention of a 'them'.

"Abigail was pregnant Alistair, although I doubt even she knew about it. Wynne told us after...after her funeral" Leliana said quietly, trying to fight back her own tears.

Alistair was frozen in place, it felt like The Maker himself had just struck him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His Abby had been with child, and he hadn't been there for either of them. They could have been a family. But because of his own selfish bitterness, all was now lost and he couldn't get it back no matter how he wished for it.

Leliana's own feelings had gotten the better of her and she started crying uncontrollably, not knowing what else to do or say to Alistair, she simply took a letter out of her pocket and placed it in front on him on the table. She looked at him for the last time and spoke through her sobs, "I wish things could have been different Alistair, but they can't and never will be. I just hope we all find some way to heal some day."

And with that, she turned and ran for the door, unable to control herself any longer. Alistair could hear her mournful cry as she vanished from his sight. He sat there for what felt like hours just looking at the letter in front of him. He picked it up and immediately saw that it was sealed with the Cousland crest. He hesitated for a while before opening it but finally, he started reading.

_My Dearest Alistair_

_How did everything go so wrong so quickly? That is the question I have been asking myself since that dreadful day at the Landsmeet. I love you so much Alistair and I think if you'd had all the information you needed, if Duncan had told us this before he died, I think things could have been different, that you would have chosen a different path._

_You need to know this, even though you might say you aren't a Grey Warden anymore, it's in your blood and that will never change. Should the worst happen and we three fall, it will be down to you._

_The reason Grey Wardens are needed to defeat the Archdemon is because of our taint. When the Archdemon dies, his soul seeks out the nearest darkspawn and is born anew, making it virtually immortal. If a Grey Warden strikes that final blow, the soul travels into us and is utterly destroyed. The bad part is the warden is as well._

_If you are reading this, I either took that blow or fell trying. I actually hope Loghain takes it, Maker knows he has done enough damage to us and this country but we NEEDED him and I stand by that, and I can't be sorry._

_You have been my true love, my soul mate and if the Maker is kind, we will meet again in the next life._

_Until then my love, be well and live._

_Always yours_

_Abby_

The amount of ale he'd drunk hadn't helped at all and his heart and mind exploded in anguish. He slammed his fists repeatedly into the table, nearly splitting it in two.

"Oi! If you can't behave yourself like a normal human being then get the hell out of here!" The bartender bellowed.

"Why don't you come over here and make me" Alistair said belligerantly, starting to rise.

Before he could react, Alistair was picked up by two burly men, each grabbing one of his arms. They dragged him to the door and threw him out into the cold, wet street.

He lay there for a few minutes trying to decide what he should do next, get up and go find a place to sleep, or just stay here until the Maker took him, he didn't honestly care anymore.

He must have passed out for a time as he was suddenly startled awake by a clash of thunder and lightning. He got up slowly, trying his utmost to balance himself. When he was finally upright, he started walking unsteadily. He wasn't sure where he should go, he just wanted to get out of the rain.

He started stumbling forward in an almost drunken dance, one step forward, two steps back. He managed to get all the way out of Denerim before he realized where he was or what he was doing. The cold rain was biting at him and as he started shivering, he knew he needed to find some place where he could sleep. Being as drunk as he was, he didn't have a tent or any supplies with him.

He found an entrance to a cave, and it seemed unoccupied and safe, so he slowly stepped inside trying to find a semi-comfortable place to sleep. He jumped out of his skin, as a sudden blinding flash of lightning crashed into the rock face, causing the entrance of the cave to collapse completely and knocking him on his arse.

And so he sat there, stunned, entombed inside a cave and no way he could see to get out. It was so dark that he couldn't even see his hand in front of his face. He wanted to curl up into a ball and cry, wanted to rage at the series of events that had led him to this, and above all wanted to give up and just let the Maker take him. The one small shred of dignity he had left nagged at him and caused a tiny flare of his natural stubbornness. He forced himself to his feet then used his hands to try and guide himself along the cave wall, trying to find a tunnel or hole, any way that might lead out. He cried out and had to shield his eyes as he saw a brilliant flash of white light moving along a very narrow tunnel.

He followed as best he could until he found himself in front of what he could only describe as a massive door of made of light, making his eyes water as he tried to look at it. He thought it looked like a fade door, but from what he knew and had heard, fade doors were purple. He had never heard of one that was white. He raised his hand to touch it and as he realized that his hand went straight through, he stumbled back, striking his head against the wall. Dazed, he spun around and quickly lost his balance, falling straight through the doorway. Everything went black.

He woke up in a place that looked so strange, he could only assume it was the fade. _No, not the fade?, maybe the golden city? _All he knew for certain, this wasn't any place he had ever been before.

He clenched his eyes shut when he heard a thunderous roar overhead, that made him wonder if there might be some sort of dragon nearby. He had not ever heard a dragon make such a high pitched noise, but it was the only thing he could think of that made anywhere near that kind of sound. There were a bunch of other noises he could not place. There was a musical sound or maybe a musical instrument that made a funny sort of 'wee waa, wee waa' and he wondered _what on Thedas could make a noise like that?_.

He heard people yelling at each other in the weirdest way. He could understand them to some extent, they were speaking Ferelden, that much he knew at least, but such odd words he didn't know the meaning of at all. He wondered what it meant to _' bust a cap ' in someone's ass _or indeed what a _mo'fo_ was. As his confused senses were trying to sort out some order in the chaos, he realized he was lying on ground that was covered with some strange stone he had never seen before.

He was face down in an alleyway of some kind. It was the worst smelling place he had ever encountered, wet dog didn't even smell this bad. He got to his feet and started walking in the only direction he thought would lead him back. He reached the end of the alley and paused, stunned. There was light everywhere. Huge buildings that looked as if they were made purely out of lights. He wondered how many mages and the amount of lyrium it took to create all of this. He saw big boards of words made out of the same magic lights and he slowly made them out. He didn't know what 'Pepsi' or 'Kodak' meant but he knew this was not any magic he had ever heard of before.

Trying to make sense of anything, he blindly walked ahead until he reached an edge of the ground with a single step down. He saw something he could only describe as a frozen black river, and he looked at it curiously. All around him there were people walking to and fro on this frozen river so he put one foot forward experimentally and discovered he too could stand on it. There were people standing in front of a metal and glass box of some sort, the writing declaring it was selling 'hot dogs'. He had heard of mabari being referred to as dogs, and he certainly wasn't planning on finding out if they would expect him to eat one. If it were in fact mabari sausages on the odd bread that they were selling.

He looked around, so amazed and bewildered by all these new discoveries that he moved forward quickly, on the frozen black river to see if there were more things to discover. As he moved, he realized there was a funny yellow object making an incredible noise, moving at a rapid rate in his direction. A sudden sense of self-preservation made him jump out of the way quickly so he didn't get hit by it. Alistair fell and rolled, coming to a stop on his back, lying on a section of stone much like the first he had encountered.

He got up once again and yelped as he was swiftly hit over the head by an old lady with her walking stick. She had the thickest pair of spectacles that Alistair had ever seen in his life, and she was wearing the weirdest clothes he could ever imagine.

"If you are stupid enough to jump in front of a cab, you have serious problems sonny. Stay down or I'll shove my stick where the sun don't shine. I might be old but I'm not dumb" The old lady poked at him

"I...a...I'm so...I'm so sorry my lady, please don't hit me again. What did I do to you anyway?" Alistair stammered.

"Ha, don't think for one minute that I don't see right through you. You were just trying to distract me with that foolish act so that one of your buddies could rob me, and like I said, I might be old but I'm not as dumb as you seem to think. New York City is a dangerous place for an old woman my age" She groused, poking him some more.

Slowly getting to his feet, and trying not to get poked again, Alistair asked in confusion.

"New York City?"

**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us.. Thanks for reading. And thanks again to Random for making sure I know how to edit stuff...lol**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me on a daily basis. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on fav author, the story on favs, and alerts!_

_Thank you sooo much to my co-monkey, betalicious beta, awesome author, sneaky minx and all around great friend __**RandomWittering**__, you are the best. Thanks for always being there to make sense of what I'm actually trying to say._

_Special thanks to __**Isabella Monroe**__, for all the help, the late night brainstorming sessions, the last cannoli, being a wowtastic beta, mentor and great friend. Thank you for letting me bug you endlessly._

_You two are amazing in your talent, and in your patience with me. I am so grateful to you both._

_Last but not least, __**Warrose**__ had to be in this box for being a good friend and slightly scary supporter._

_To all the wonderful friends and sneaky monkeys I did not mention, I love you all too..  
_

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**BioWare owns Alistair, New York owns the rest**

**Chapter 1**

He stood there confused and bewildered, wondering where on... what had the old woman called it? Whatever this place was. Staring blankly, he ventured to ask her.

"I'm sorry ma'am but..ah..hm.. New York City?"

She regarded him for a moment before she turned her head slightly with an amused grin spread across her face as she spoke. "Yes sonny, New York. Where did you think you were? On Mars?"

'_Oh great_' Alistair thought to himself, not only was he very confused by what was going on around him, but now he had this old woman in front of him speaking in riddles. What the heck is this Mars she was talking about?

"No...yes...no..I don't know. I'm just a bit confused at the moment, I'm not really sure how I got here." Shaking his head, not knowing what to do or say.

He thought that maybe he was stuck in a dream, but a weird one, complete with lights, dogs being eaten and old ladies who liked poking people with sticks. He knew his name was Alistair, but the rest of his memory was extremely patchy and fuzzy. He wondered if he might be in some other part of the fade, maybe an alternate fade of some sorts. He thought back for a moment and he could vaguely remember a door made of light, but he couldn't remember where he saw it or what it did. He wondered if it might have been a fade door, but if it was, how would he find it again and if he found it, where would it lead?

"Oh, this is all so...so..unreal" Alistair said while slumping his shoulders in defeat. He rubbed his forehead and pinched the bridge of his nose.

The old lady burst out laughing. "What's so unreal? The fact that you are in New York or that you look like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz? Where did you get those rusty old plates that you seem to think are clothes anyway?"

Alistair inspected his plate armor for a moment, while trying to remember where he had got it from or even how the heck he had gotten into it to begin with. "Uhm...I don't know exactly."

"Well, I can't stand here talking nonsense to you all day. The sun has set and I have things to do and not a lot of time to do them. So if your buddies still intend to rob me, I suggest they get on with it, if not then, good luck with doing...whatever you were doing. Goodbye sonny." And with that she turned around and started walking away.

Alistair watched in bewilderment as he watched the old woman walking away. He had no idea what to do or where to go, so he started following her as she was the only slightly familiar thing in this strange place. He kept his distance so that he didn't startle her. She walked slowly but steadily and he saw her crossing the frozen black river, walking in the direction of another dark alleyway.

He wondered to himself why an old woman would be walking in the dark as he followed, entering the alley after her. As he walked into the alley, he was shocked as three men jumped out in front of her.

"Hey, yo, grandma! Give up your purse, jewelry and your cellphone" the first thug sneered at her

"Yeah, grams. Give it up, unless you wanna get hurt or worse" the second man said as he stalked closer to her, trying to intimidate her with his size.

Alistair looked at the men in the alley as they preyed on the old lady, and he hesitated for only a moment before dashing in and jumping in front of her, putting himself as a shield between her and the them.

He stepped up to one of the thugs "What starts with come here and ends in ow?", The guy just looked at him as if he was crazy and Alistair sighed, grabbed hold of his weird tunic and jerked him towards him, headbutting him. He smiled in satisfaction as the thug howled 'OWW'

He KNEW fighting, he didn't know how he knew but he knew this, the adrenaline, the feeling of power. He knew he was missing a sword but he would just have to make do without it. He saw the glint of metal in the second man's hand and his lips peeled back in a feral grin as he was rushed at. He grabbed the hand holding the knife, letting it screech along his armor and as the momentum carried the man past him, twisted the hand behind the man's back, and forced him to release the knife. Alistair followed it up with a solid punch that staggered the thief.

As the last thug gaped at Alistair, the old woman came out of her shock and smacked him hard over the head with her stick and they gave up, shouting abuse as they ran away. Suddenly he and the old woman were facing each other, not knowing what to say

"Well you aren't just a cute guy in a tin can are you?" She said.

He gave her a sheepish grin and said. "No ma'am, I guess I was sent here to be your personal protector as well"

She looked into his eyes for the longest minute and then said, "You really seem like a kind soul, and I'm very good at judging people just from looking into their eyes. Yours look so sad young man, what happened to you?"

Alistair averted his eyes from her, trying to hide the fact that he didn't know what she saw because he wasn't sure himself, he didn't know where to go or who else he could turn to so he decided that telling her the truth would be the best thing in his current situation. It might also be the worst thing he could do, but he was going to have to take that chance.

"Well you see, it's like this. I woke up in an alley over there" pointing back in the direction they had come from. "I have no idea how I got here or even where here is. I don't know where I'm supposed to go or what I should be doing" He looked her squarely in the eyes, not hiding anything from her gaze.

"Do you have a name my boy? Or do I keep calling you sonny?" She asked, giving him a small smile.

"My name is Alistair, my lady, and it is an honor to meet you." He stretched out his hand to shake hers.

She shook his hand, "My dear boy, my name is Contessa, although everyone calls me Tess."

"I am pleased to meet you then Tess. May I escort you somewhere safe? I know you can be quite a terror with that walking stick of yours, but I would feel much better if I knew that you were safe" He said as he gave her his most honest smile

"Already being a charmer I see, trying to get me to take you home, huh?" She asked with a small smile creeping into the corners of her lips

"Ah..no..no ma'am. I honestly just want to know that you get to...wherever you are going, safely." He avoided looking at her as his cheeks warmed, intently scoping the rest of the alley to see if anyone else would bother her.

" Well alrighty, my knight in a tin can, you can come with me, but I need to make a pit-stop first" She declared while starting to walk to the opposite side of the alley.

"Thank you ma'am" he said as he fell in step beside her.

"No, no calling me ma'am or Madam, I'm Tess, just plain old Tess" she said as they were walking.

"As you wish then, Tess" He said.

They walked for quite a while and Alistair looked around in amazement as to all the new things that he saw. There were buildings that looked like they could touch the sky, there were these huge iron rods holding up lights on the sides on the frozen river, which Tess told him was a road. People walked around in their funny clothes, speaking their funny version of his language that Tess had called English when he'd asked about it. There were lots of stores selling a such a wide variety of things, he wouldn't have thought were needed at all. Some he didn't know what they could be used for or what he could even do with them. He looked at the displays in the shop windows, and saw weird statues that were definitely not made of stone, standing there with all types of odd clothes on. Some of the clothes they were wearing were great looking too, and he wondered what he would look like if he was wearing them. He saw one particular window display that he found fascinating. The shop was selling all kinds of pretty small clothes for woman and to him it was quite a sight to behold as he stared dumbly at how the well the panties and breastbands fit on the female statues. As he was reveling at the sight and blushing beetroot red as he did, he heard Tess speak.

"Now don't go ruining my good impression of you by turning into a perv," she said as she tapped on the window with her walking stick, to get his attention..

He smiled sheepishly at her, blushing even more than he was before and stammered, "Uhm.. sorry...sorry about that"

Tess just chuckled at him and said. "Come on, we still have some walking to do. We have to get all the way to little Italy before we can stop for a bit"

As they walked on, Alistair saw something that really grabbed his attention, he stopped mid stride and marveled at the window display in front of him. The whole window was stacked with big and small black boxes that had people in them. His eyes were glued to them and he wondered how the people got in there and how they got trapped inside. "WOW" was all he could get out before Tess grabbed him by the arm and muttered.

"TV will rot your brain, although I must say, last week's episode of CSI was a beauty"

As they continued on then turned a corner, Alistair was hit by all kinds of aromas. He could make out the smell of freshly baked bread and while the other scents were strange, they were equally alluring and it made his stomach grumble endlessly, his mouth beginning to water. Tess stopped in front of a building had large glass windows and quite a few tables and chairs inside. There was a kind of music playing he had never heard in his life, people sitting or standing around and having loud conversations, making jokes. He thought to himself '_Hmm, they really are a noisy bunch, but a noisy bunch that seem to be having a wonderful time_'.

Tess looked at Alistair and said. " Come on in with me and I'll find you somewhere out of the way to sit, I just need to go check up on a few things." He followed her obediently and as soon as they entered, the noise level increased a great deal and it was a little overwhelming at first. Tess found him a table in the corner by the window and wall, away from the main bustle and noise.

She waited until he'd sat down and smiled at him, "I will be back soon so don't go anywhere. I come here every night to see my granddaughter and to make sure my family isn't mucking up my business."

"Okay Tess, I'll be right here if you need me" he regarded her with a smile.

She patted his hand and wandered off into the crowd, and his attention quickly taken by everything going on around him.

He was amazed at the sights in front of him, the people sitting and eating some type of stringy food and little balls of meat. There was a bar where others sat and enjoyed the overall feel of the friendly little establishment. He was startled out of his observations as Tess came back for a brief moment putting a plate down on the table in front of him. "Here ya go, this is a dessert called cannoli, it's the best thing to come out of Italy since 'Le Mans' or 'Alfa Romeo'. I'll be back soon, so enjoy!" and she was off again.

He looked at the dessert in front of him, it was a tube-like pastry that had the most interesting looking cream stuffed inside it. As he gazed at it his stomach began to grumble again. He took a small bite and discovered the most heavenly taste. He tried to savor it and failing miserably, stuffed almost the whole thing into his mouth in a very unceremonious fashion. Very disappointed that his little piece of cream filled heaven was now finished, Alistair looked around to see if he could find Tess anywhere. '_Mmm, I wonder if it would be rude to ask her for another one' _he thought_._

He continued to look at all the people drinking wine and having laughs as they sat at their tables enjoying their meals. He walked over to the side to stand in a little dark corner of the establishment and he saw several of the loud and very noisy people giving him odd looks. He wondered for a brief second why they were looking at him like that, when he realized that he was in fact the most weirdly dressed person there, and that's when he saw her.

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, long brown hair that cascaded past her shoulder blades and the face of an angel. He couldn't see what color eyes she had, he was a little too far away, but somehow, she looked familiar to him, as if he had seen her somewhere before.

Standing in the corner trying his utmost not to draw attention to himself, Alistair looked as Tess strolled over to the woman gripping her in a fierce hug. He could see that they were very close and that made him wonder if she was the granddaughter that Tess was talking about. She was wearing some sort of uniform, black shirt and pants with a silver badge that seemed to be covering her heart. There was also writing on it, but Alistair could only make out the letters N.Y.P.D. He wondered what they meant.

He saw her walking onto a stage taking a little pointy thing in her hand which she brought close to her mouth and spoke into it. He was startled as he could hear her voice as clearly as if she were standing right next to him.

"Good evening all you wonderful and extremely hungry people, How are you doing this evening? I will be entertaining you with a song this evening, or at least try to, because my Nonna will beat me with her stick if I don't" she said with a chuckle

"You bet your ass I will" Tess piped up with a big smile on her face as she winked at the girl.

"I also know that my dear Nonna would just love for me to sing 'O sole mio' again for the hundredth time, but I really wanna sing something else for you tonight. It's not heard in Italian bistro's very often if at all, so please excuse my weird song choice" she said as music started playing out of nowhere, and she started to sing.

"_Every now and then, I get a little bit lonely_

_And you're never coming round._

_Every now and then, I get a little bit tired _

_Of listening to the sound of my tears._

_Every now and then, I get a little bit nervous_

_That the best of all the years have gone by._

_Every now and then, I get a little bit terrified_

_And then I see the look in your eyes._

_Every now and then I fall apart, Every now and then I fall apart_

_And I need you now tonight, And I need you more than ever_

_And if you only hold me tight, we'll be holding on forever._

_And we'll only be making it right, cause we'll never be wrong._

_Together we can take it to the end of the line,_

_Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time. _

_I really need you tonight, forever's gonna start tonight,_

_Forever's gonna start tonight_

As Alistair stood there looking at her in astonishment, he wondered why an angel with such a beautiful voice was singing such a sad song. He could only venture a guess that she was trying to express what she was feeling without anyone actually knowing it. He could see the heartbroken expression on her face and that almost tore him in two as she continued to sing, it made him feel incredibly sad for her.

_Once upon a time I was falling in love,_

_But now I'm only falling apart._

_There's nothing I can do,_

_A total eclipse of the heart._

_Once upon a time there was light in my life,_

_But now there's only love in the dark._

_Nothing I can say,_

_A total eclipse of the heart"_

He saw her looking at him for the briefest of seconds before returning her gaze to the the crowd of people standing up and clapping their hands, whistling and shouting 'Encore, encore' She took a bow and walked off the stage in a hurry, Alistair could see something was really bothering her, because she was holding her face as if she was about to cry.

He saw Tess walk to meet her and pulled her into a hug, rubbing her soothingly on the back. Tess then led her into a room where Alistair could only watch them disappear behind a door.

He waited there for a while, listening to the strange music that continued to playing out of nowhere.

After what seemed like an hour or two, Tess reappeared and hurried up to Alistair as she said, "Alright, Ali'boy. Let's go to my house. I am sure you are hungry, looking for a bath and not to mention someplace warm to sleep."

"That sounds wonderful, Thank you Tess, but are you sure I won't be in your way?" he said very thoughtfully

"Ha ha, of course you'll be in my way, but you kept me safe from the baddies, so I do owe you something for that at least. And as I said, you seem to be a kind soul, I doubt you'll be as much of a pain in my ass as the rest of my family are most of the time" she chuckled as she saw the surprised look on his face, as he lead her to the door.

They got to an apartment building that had a large staircase leading up to it. Alistair was in awe at the sight of it. It was a huge building with lots of windows looking out towards the street, very strong walls that looked as if they would still be standing there a thousand years from now. Tess said that it was called a 'brownstone'. They walked up the stairs that lead to the door, Alistair trying to look everywhere at once as Tess opened the door. They walked into her home and he was once again stunned and amazed by what he saw.

There was a large room with what looked like very comfortable couches, a small table in the middle, and a big cupboard that had one of those big black box things she'd called a T.V in the center of it.

She showed him the three bedrooms, all with an assortment of closets, beds, vanities and paintings in each and every room. Alistair was most amazed by the 'bathroom' that had indoor plumbing. An outhouse but inside!

Tess noticed the look of confused astonishment on his face and looked thoughtful for a moment.

"This is the toilet Ali, just push down on that handle there when you are done" she said and tore off a piece of toilet paper hanging beside it. She threw it into the water and demonstrated the flush. The look of utter amazement on his face as it disappeared, made her want to chuckle but she kept her face straight.

She told him how to work the bath, then left him to it, patting him on the shoulder as she walked out and closed the door behind her.

He couldn't resist flushing the toilet a few more times, still amazed at the flow of water that rushed through. He swore he heard a chuckle from outside and blushed, quickly turning his attention to other things.

Tess had told him earlier that he smelt like yesterday's bad tuna, whatever that was, so he decided that a bath was first on the to do list. He wondered how the water that came running through the tap was hot but Tess hasn't explained that and he decided to just go with it.

It took him a little while to figure out how to get out of the plate he was wearing but he found if he didn't think about it too much, his fingers knew what to do. The relief of getting out of it was huge.

He managed to fill the tub and to a temperature that wouldn't take his skin off and relaxed in the heat for a bit. Then he took on the task of giving himself a thorough scrub. He got out the bath and dried himself off. He pulled the plug as Tess had told him to and he watched the water drain until it had all gone down the hole. Shaking his head at wonders he knew nothing about he nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard a tap at the door. Nervously he opened it and let out a sigh of relief as he saw that Tess had left some clothes there for him to wear, because he didn't want to even think about going through the tedious task of trying to put that big plate suit on again.

He looked over to the side of the room and saw a small washing basin that had a mirror attached to the wall just above it and he moved closer to look. He saw a metal cylinder and a small stick type of thing next to it. There was a flimsy slip of metal attached to a handle and he had seen something like this before but couldn't place where. He ran his finger over it carefully and saw that it was very sharp, enough to give him a rather nasty cut. As he looked at himself in the mirror, he saw that he had started to grow a beard without even knowing it and something clicked as he looked at the sharp metal strip again, deciding to use it to get rid of the ever growing fur on his face. He nicked and cut himself more than a few times before he was finished and grimaced at the several bleeding cuts. He was splashing some water on his face when he heard Tess calling.

"Hey, Ali'boy come down to the kitchen and eat something. I don't like it when food gets wasted"

Alistair's stomach decided that it was the perfect time to agree, as it started to grumble. "I'm on my way, thanks Tess"

He walked into the kitchen, when Tess almost dropped a plate as she saw him. "What the hell did you do to your face, boy? It looks as if you've been playing with the neighbor's cat. What did you do?" She asked as she put the plate down on the cupboard.

"I saw this thing with a strip of metal attached to it, and I used it to shave. Did I do it wrong?" He rubbed his face which was burning as if someone set it on fire.

"Why, didn't you use the shaving cream that I left on the basin for you? It would have helped prevent you from cutting yourself up so badly." She said as she walked closer to him.

With a confused expression he asked. "Shaving cream?"

Tess just shook her head, walked towards the bathroom. Alistair stood there confused and feeling more than a little stupid. She returned with the metal cylinder that had been in the bathroom and showed it to him. "This is the shaving cream, use it next time you want to shave without looking as if you just walked out of a nightmare on elm street movie"

She pressed the little button at the top of the can and a fountain of foam sprang out of the little hole at the side. Tess held the cream in her hand and continued. " You put this on your face the next time you want to shave, the cream protects your skin so that the razor doesn't cut your face to pieces."

In his flabbergasted state, Alistair looked at the cream and put some on his finger, feeling the texture between his thumb and index finger. "Wow, thanks Tess, I didn't know it could do that or what I could use it for...It's quite amazing I've never seen anything like this before in my life"

She looked at him curiously for a moment before saying. "Well just gimme a shout the next time you want to shave and I'll come and help you. But now we have to get back to dinner"

They walked back into the kitchen and Alistair sat down at the dinner table. Tess brought over a plate of food and set it down in front of him.

"This is Capellini Pomodoro, with roma tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil and extra-virgin olive oil tossed with capellini. Served with Italian vegetables over angel hair pasta tossed in a light garlic-butter sauce. It's my grandmother's recipe that she brought over with her from the old country." She said proudly

Alistair had no idea what she meant but it looked delicious anyway and thanked her before picking up the eating utensils on the side and started to eat, if a little clumsily with unfamiliar food. After dinner Tess bid him a good night and went off to bed. Alistair couldn't think of anything better than to fall onto a nice soft bed and drift into sleep, but as he laid there in the room Tess had told him to use, sleep would not come.

He got up and walked back into the living room wondering what he could do to keep himself occupied. He strolled over to a chair that had looked very comfortable from where he was standing earlier.

As he sat down, he felt something hard and pointy under his rear. Just as he moved to see what it was, the T.V on the cupboard came to life. The noise that emanated from it was so loud that Alistair jumped out of his seat due to the shock of it. He walked closer to the box and he saw there was a man inside, a weird looking man. He had a blue and red suit on with a cape and a weird 'S' across his chest, he also saw that the man had his smallclothes on the outside of his pants. Alistair chuckled a bit at that, while wondering how the man got in there in the first place. He saw there were some buttons on the big box so he pressed one of his fingers against it, and suddenly the man was gone and he was replaced by a different man who was talking to a woman who was standing on a stage, he asked her why she was throwing a chair at her brother. Alistair wondered for a moment what she meant by 'He was porking my husband behind my back'.

He was just about to press the button again when he heard the voice of a woman bellowing straight at him.

"Freeze dirtbag! Make one wrong move and I'll shoot your ass off"

* * *

**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us.. **


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me every single day of my whole existence. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on their favorite author list, the story on their favs, and alerts!_

_Thank you sooo much to my co-monkey, betalicious beta, awesome author, sneaky minx and all around great friend __**RandomWittering**__, you are the best. Thanks for being there to make sense of whatever I'm trying to do or say. For always being ready to smack me when I'm being stupid. Or yelling at me to go to bed and get some sleep. It still amazes me to no end that you are able you call me on my BS. You are my rock...and will forever be in my little heart. _

_Thank you to __**Isabella Monroe**__, for all the help, for always having time for me. All the awesometastic late night brainstorming sessions that always have me giggling with delight and always leaving me in an all round fuzzy and whippingly great mood, (Here's a OMG sized yummy cannoli for you) also for being a wowtastic beta, mentor and great friend. Thank you for letting me bug you endlessly. _;-) _ The Maker sent me an awesome prezzie when he sent me to read TLC, because from that moment he forged a path for me to become great friends you, my amazingly fantabulous friend. And I will be grateful for that until the end of my days._

_You two are amazing in all the things you do, and in your never ending patience with me. I am so grateful to you both. And love ya to bits_

_Last but not least, __**Warrose**_ _had to be in this box as well for being a great friend also for eating me and finding me to be so yummy, that you make all those cute little noises that I love so much. Now please stop playing with your HUGE bucket of cheese balls and get into my box, before I ask Tristen to steal your small clothes again. _:-)

_To all the wonderful friends and sneaky monkeys I did not mention, I love you all too.._

_

* * *

_**Bioware owns Ali...**

**Chapter**** 2**

Frankie stood there for a moment contemplating what her next move should be. She knew she had already made a huge mistake by not identifying herself as a cop before pulling her gun, especially as she was still in uniform. She knew she was acting irrationally but she couldn't bring herself to care about it. All she was concerned with was getting this criminal out of her grandmother's house as fast as humanly possible. He turned around quickly and regarded her with a confused look.

"Yeh, hi!" she said sarcastically, "Keep your hands where I can see them." She gestured with her gun to the intruder, who was now looking at her with the weirdest expression she had ever seen in her life.

He immediately brought his hands forward and showed them to her with an unsure half-smile creeping at the corners of his lips.

Frankie rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Don't _show_ me your hands, I don't care if they are clean or not."

The man dropped his hands to his sides for all the world looking like he had no idea what he was doing. His innocent act was really starting to annoy her.

"Oh..ah..hello, my name is Alistair. What's yours?" He said as he shifted uncomfortably and took a step forward.

Frankie immediately snapped back into her shooting stance and snapped forcefully, "Take one more step and I'll shoot, so stop right there and put your hands behind your head."

He stopped immediately and obediently put his hands somewhere in the air behind his head. Frankie decided enough was enough and she'd had enough of playing games with this jackass.

A few swift steps and she was on him and she got a brief glimpse of him looking at her in wonder before all the breath shot out of him as she swept his legs from underneath him and he hit the floor. She made quick work of turning him over and slapped a pair of cuffs on him. She wondered if the guy had escaped from some mental institution because from his expression, he had no idea what he'd done wrong or why she was now sitting across his back and putting cuffs on him.

He struggled a bit but she managed to get him up and onto a chair that she kicked into place. She looked him dead in the eyes while saying. "You really need to listen when a police officer tells you to stop and put your hands over your head. I could have killed you. Now, let's take it from the top, shall we? Why did you break in here or better yet, what did you think you would be able to steal without getting caught?"

"I...uhm..I wasn't try..." Alistair tried to say before she interrupted him.

"Oh, don't even try that old bullshit explanation of 'I wasn't trying to steal anything, or I got drunk and accidentally broke into the wrong house'. I am far from stupid. Now tell me the damn truth. Starting with the rest of your name, you said your first name was Alistair. Well Alistair, do you have a last name or are you a one namer like Cher or Prince? Where is your ID? Or judging by your accent, your Visa or Green Card? Drivers License?" She growled in increasing frustration as each of those things was just met with a blank and bewildered look. "Do you have _anything_ that proves who you are?"

He just looked at her sadly, "I know my name is Alistair, but I can't remember what my last name is or even what you mean by any of those things. I'm having a sort of problem remembering, my memory is a bit fuzzy at the moment"

"You're lying. I _know_ you're lying." She said while trying her best to get a grip on her emotions which were threatening to get the better of her.

"I'm not lying, please, you have to believe me. I don't know who I am apart from my name, and I don't know where I'm from or how I got here" he replied helplessly, not knowing what to say or think about what was going on around him. "What cause did I give you to attack me and what the hell are these shackles you put on me made of?" Alistair continued, craning his neck round, trying to get a look at them.

She chose to ignore his questions because he was obviously trying to pull a fast one, and she was not about to let that happen. She knew she was getting to him and she would keep pushing until she got the truth out of him, no matter what it took. She knew procedure dictated that she should have taken him in for questioning, but this was her beloved grandmother's home and in that moment the rulebook went out the window.

"Stop lying to me and tell me what exactly you are doing here." She paced the room in agitation then stopped in front of him again.

"I'm telling you the truth, I don't know...I..." He tried to say when she quickly interrupted him again.

"Here is a quick lesson in lying for you Alistair. See, this is what us cops do, we study liars. For example: If I ask you a question about say, your favorite color, your eyes go up and to the left because you are using the memory section of your brain. So you're telling the truth. But if your eyes go up and right, you're accessing the brain's creative centers and that's when we know you're full of shit. So, let's try this again, shall we?" She slammed her hands on the sides of his chair looking him straight in the eyes.

"I told you, I don't know! I woke up in an alley and the lady that lives here, Tess, she helped me and said I could stay here because I didn't have anywhere else to go. Please, you have to believe me, all of this is so confusing. I have absolutely no idea what I did wrong." Alistair pleaded.

His eyes gave her no indication of a lie but in her line of work she knew a lot of people who could lie most convincingly, and she just couldn't buy his story.

"Give me one single shred of proof, why I should believe you. You can't tell me anything aside from your first name and that you don't know how you got here. And now you expect me to believe that my eighty year old grandmother just let you walk into her house and play around with her T.V for the fun of it? Do you really think I'm that stupid?" She was not about to stop until he came clean.

She knew she was going against every single set of protocol with the way she was acting and she could definitely get fired and possibly charged for acting the way she was doing now, but that didn't matter to her as much as her family did. She was not about to let anything happen to her Nonna. She would rather die before she let her get hurt again.

The man before her shuffled in his chair, definitely starting to get uncomfortable. He sighed and looked at her, "Why don't you believe me? If I have to take that weird explanation you just gave me as an example, you could clearly see that I didn't even blink my eyes."

Frankie was almost shouting at him now, incensed and her rigid control breaking,"You didn't have to blink. Your body language says you're lying. It's not just your eyes, it's everything. If you cough, sneeze, cross your legs, scratch your ass, they're all tell-tale signs. So you can stare at me like that all you want. You can't beat the system."

Before she could continue, Tess slammed into the room with such a force that it caught her off guard.

"Chesca, what the hell are you doing? Let him go this instant, don't make me take you over my knee and spank you" she demanded, "Why is he cuffed and why on earth are you treating him like a criminal? It's not like you to act this way, my girl." Tess said as she walked towards them.

Frankie was taken aback and on the defensive, "You can't be serious Nonna, how can you even ask me that? I come in and catch this criminal in your house, about to steal your stuff and lord only knows what else, and you're asking _me_ what I'm doing? I'm trying to protect you Nonna, can't you see that? He's dangerous and I'm taking him in." She said determinedly, unable to comprehend why her Nonna was acting this way

Tess just snorted in response to that, "Oh, no you're not. He helped me, and he's harmless. Just look at him! He doesn't know who he is or where he came from, good lordy, the man didn't even know what a toilet was until I showed him how to use it. So you take those cuffs off this instant and we can all sit and talk about this whole situation like adults, not like a bunch of kids playing cops and robbers." Tess helped Alistair up and turned him around for her granddaughter to take the cuffs off.

"No Nonna! You know I can't and won't do that. Remember the last time you helped some poor guy? It almost got you killed because you trusted that he was harmless and was just looking for someone to help him get on his feet" she said stubbornly.

Tess just looked at her for a second, causing Frankie to feel about ten again and in trouble for something. Finally she spoke, her tone calm but no less powerful, "You know full well it wasn't his fault, he didn't ask for his ex 'friends' to visit, nor beat him into a pulp for trying to get free. Nor was it his fault I couldn't just stand by and let that happen."

"Well I am not going to stand by and just let it happen again. I won't!" Frankie retorted. She knew her grandmother was determined but she wasn't going to let her guard down. She felt that her gran trusted people too easily and she wasn't about to take the risk of seeing her in hospital or worse ever again.

"Francesca Russo, don't make me lose my temper, take the cuffs off _right__ now_. Ali'boy is a friend and I know and trust that no harm will come to me while he is here. So take them off, before I lose it and decide to cuff you too just for getting on my nerves" Tess said as she started to lose her patience.

Against her better judgment, Francesca walked towards Alistair and took his cuffs off and put them back in the holder on her belt while asking Tess. "How can you trust him so easily Nonna? He is obviously playing on your emotions. He is a complete stranger, you don't know the first thing about him. How can you trust him?"

"You of all people should understand when I tell you that when your friends betray you, sometimes the only people you can trust are strangers. As I said before, he helped me. I might be dead now if he hadn't swooped in, in his tin can and all, and saved me." Tess explained as she helped Alistair over to the couch and settled herself down as well.

Now it was Francesca's turn to have a quizzical expression on her face. She walked over and sat opposite her Nonna and Alistair on the other couch and asked. "His tin can?"

"Oh yes, he had one of those suits of armor on, a huge monstrosity of a thing. It looked as if he just stepped out of that 'A Knight's Tale' movie that we watched the other night. He did look very funny in it." Tess said with amused little chuckle.

"Well, I definitely want to hear what happened Nonna, but before you tell me." She directed her gaze at Alistair, "Since I can't arrest you thanks to my Nonna and her temper, I might as well introduce myself. I'm Frankie, but it still remains to be seen if it's a pleasure meeting you, Alistair."

Alistair just smiled at her before saying. "It certainly is a pleasure meeting you Frankie. I have seen you before, in the Bistro right? That was you singing, wasn't it?"

That question alone made Frankie smile. "Yes, that was me, but don't try and change the subject. I want to know every little detail about you and this 'swooping' incident."

And with that, Tess and Alistair told Frankie everything about how they met, the attempted mugging that took place and all Alistair's antics inside the apartment. After the combination of shock and laughing fits, Frankie loosened up around Alistair a little, but she was still very suspicious of him and didn't trust him at all. They had coffee and ate some cannoli's that Frankie had brought with her. And after a few hours of talking about all sorts of random things, making jokes and telling stories, they all thought it was time to head to bed.

Alistair got up and escorted both ladies to their respective bedrooms. It was a bit too late for Frankie to go home and she would stay over as she usually did. Even if it had been early, there was no way in hell she was leaving while that Alistair was here and she would be sleeping with her gun on the nightstand... just in case. She was even considering staying for a while, if her gran was going to insist on keeping the stray puppy around. She went to the bathroom and had a blissful shower, glad to have gotten out of uniform. Clean and dried off, she dressed in one of her old sleeping shirts and got into the bed Tess kept ready for her. She tossed and turned for what seemed like hours, trying to figure out the puzzle that was Alistair. Where was he from, what did he do that would have him wearing a suit of armor and how could he not remember anything. What kind of trauma had happened to him to cause him to forget everything but his first name. Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard shuffling and mumbling coming from the room he was sleeping in, next door to hers.

She got up and went to the closet, putting on a robe that was always hanging there for when she decided to stay over. Tying the belt, she walked out of her room, turned on the hall light and cautiously went entered his room. She could see that Alistair was thrashing around and mumbling in his sleep and she walked closer to the bed almost tripping over a shirt that was lying on the ground. She paused for a moment, the light from the hall shining on him. The bedclothes had gotten tangled around his waist and she was shocked to see the number of scars on his upper body. She had looked at enough knife wounds to know what some of those slices had to be, although some of them were larger than she had ever seen. His build was curious as well, not like a bodybuilder but definitely muscular and well defined. She wondered what he was dreaming about that was so disturbing, and if she should risk waking him. Indecisive, she walked closer to the bed until she was close enough to touch him.

xxXxx

_Alistair found himself at the top of a tower overlooking a large battlefield, dead and disgusting creatures that were torn apart, swords sticking out of bodies and blood as far as the eye can see. He turned around and saw an enormous dragon spitting purple fire a few yards away from him. It was a frightening sight for him to see and it had taken him completely off guard. This huge beast could swallow anyone whole and they wouldn't even know it until it was too late. There were people there too, all of them seemed to be fighting this monster and the other creatures that seemed to be protecting it. He looked around and saw an old woman holding a large stick of some sort, casting fire and ice through it. He could only assume that she was a witch to some degree, but she seemed too old and sweet to be evil. But she had a very worried expression on her face. He looked toward the direction her eyes were pointed at, only to see another much younger woman wearing a big set of armor that looked a lot like his. And there was an older man speaking to her. It looked like they were arguing, so Alistair decided to move closer to them because he wanted to know why the woman was crying and he didn't think twice that maybe it was the man causing her heartache._

_He was close enough to hear her say. "No, Loghain, I'm taking the final blow. It is my duty, I have to do this and I'm going to. There is nothing you can say that will convince me otherwise. I have already lost Alistair and he was my life, and the only thing that ever mattered to me, apart from defeating this maker forsaken Blight. So just do me one favor, it is all I ask of you. Be a better man than you were this last year and a half and make sure that your daughter does right by this country, help her to be a fair and just ruler. That is all I want from you. See you again in the after life brother and may the Maker be with you always."_

_All of a sudden, all his memories came rushing back to him, he remembered Wynne, Loghain, the Blight, the Archdemon and most of all his Abby. He remembered everything, and she was the most important of all of them. He remembered that she was everything to him, his fellow Warden, his comrade in arms, his best friend and most of all, the love of his life and the woman of his dreams. He tried reaching out to try and touch her, to let her know that he was there and that he would never leave her, but it was too late._

_She turned on her heels and ran towards the dragon, grabbing a sword out of a fallen soldier's body while charging at the beast. When she reached it, she skidded down on one knee and sliced the dragon's neck open from one end to the next._

_Alistair ran towards her with all the strength and speed he could muster, but he just couldn't reach her in time. It seemed like he was running against something, or something was holding him back, prohibiting him from reaching her in time. He screamed and yelled for her to stop and to come back to him, that he loved her and he couldn't live without her. But it was a battle he just could not win. He could not reach her and she could not hear him calling her._

_She stood at the head of the Archdemon, out of breath and out of energy, everyone started running towards her to try and stop her but all their efforts were in vain, for it was too late. She lifted the giant sword above her head with both hands and plunged it deep into the dragon's head, killing it instantly. There was a blinding white light emanating from the dragon's head at the entry point of where the sword went through it. And it burst open knocking everyone off their feet, sending them flying through the air. And then everything went black._

"ABBY! NOOO!" Alistair woke up screaming. He was drenched in sweat and tears and once again found himself in a confused state of not knowing where he was, after everything had seemed so clear. Then he saw her standing over him, concern on her face and his heart almost froze in his chest before absolute relief overwhelmed him.

Alistair reached up and grabbed her, vowing silently to never let her go again. He looked at her for the briefest second and whispered "Abby, thank the Maker!" then brought his lips to hers with all the love and passion that he had in him. But something was wrong, she kissed him back for a moment but then she quickly pulled away from him, and in one swift action punched him, knocking him out cold.

"Maybe you'll think twice before trying that with me again" Frankie said to the unconscious form of Alistair that was now once again fast asleep on his bed. Still shocked out of her wits over what had just happened, Frankie bolted out of Alistair's room and into her own.

Not knowing what else to do, she sat huddled in her bed, knees drawn up to her chest and cried. _What the hell was that? Why had he called her Abby just before he kissed her?_ And that kiss – there was something about it, something so tantalizing that for a brief moment she had thought about losing herself in him, but that would absolutely insane. She touched her lips briefly, however crazy that kiss had seemed, it had stirred something deep within her, something she had desperately tried to keep locked away as tight as she could.

* * *

**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us.. Thanks for reading.**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers and readers. You all make me jump for joy on a daily basis, doing all kinds of flirty things, dreaming up jolly purple dragons and all sorts of fun, just to display my endless happiness. You all rock._

_I have recently ask one of my very talented friends, Erynnar, if it would be okay for me to adopt her shout outs for awesome stories. She most graciously said yes, and therefore I will be doing it too from now on. So please stop by, say hi and drop a review or two if you can. You all know that everyone loves reviews just like Sten loves cookies._

Shout outs for this chapter go to:

**Erynnar** (_Soulmates, Whispering Sighs Of The Blade and The First Cut Is The Deepest_) All awesome stories, which I highly recommend. Erynnar is on her 98th chapter of Soulmates so far and the story keeps getting better and better.

**Megglesnake** (_A Consequence For Every Action, Royal Consequences and Time Warp_) Meg has recently taken up my challenge of writing a Dragon Age AU story with added oomph. And I am very pleased to say that she is really exceeding all my expectations with the chapters she has posted so far. So check out her newest fic Time Warp. It is action packed, fast paced and it will definitely have you asking for more.

**Pinoko K **(_The Rose of Highever, The Rose and The Prince, Valentine's day and Another Time, Another Life_) Rose of Highever was one of the first stories that I read here on FF, and it will always be one of my favorites. So check it out and join the very strong and courageous Samantha Cousland on her journey to defend Ferelden from the Blight and rescue a very awesome Alistair from his lonely past.

**Warrose** (_A Purpose and What Could Have Been_) My smutty, cheeky and witty best friend has written one of the most awesome tales I have ever come across here on FF. It is full of action packed adventure and has a very witty and bitchy heroine called Serene. I just love her to bits. Do yourself a fav and check it out.

* * *

**BioWare owns Ali...**

**Chapter 3**

Frankie woke with a start the next morning, her eyes were swollen and sore from crying herself to sleep, the events of the previous night had taken it's toll. She didn't know what to do, all the pain and suffering she had tried to bury for so long had begun to resurface. All the hurt and anger she thought she'd locked away threatened to drive her crazy. Somehow that shocking, yet alluring kiss that she and Alistair shared had stirred something deep within her to make all these feelings come rushing back. She desperately didn't want to think about it, had tried to deny those feelings for the longest time, but try as she might, she'd always found herself crying herself to sleep. Eventually she'd managed to reach a level where it wasn't affecting her daily, but it was always there, always in the back of her mind and the previous night's kiss somehow opened the flood gates for all those memories to come back.

As she laid back down on her bed she curled herself into a ball and hugged her pillow as hard as she could, every memory that had broken her heart and shattered her soul playing over and over in her head, torturing her endlessly.

_A year ago she had been so happy, she thought that her life was perfect. She and Joey had just got engaged and they were planning their wedding and the rest of their lives together. She was skeptical at first because her own parents had given her the worst example of married life. Actually that would be an understatement considering that they had married and divorced each other three times during her childhood. But she had thought that maybe, just maybe, things would be different for her. But that turned out to be an illusion too. In the beginning he was so sweet to her, they always had fun together, laughed and joked together. Shared their lives, their hearts and their minds. That was true in Frankie's case at least._

_It was only __one month after their engagement that things started going wrong in the worst way possible. He started treating her differently, degrading her every chance he got. And she took it because she thought that it was only a passing phase or maybe his job was adding a lot of pressure to his state of mind. She loved him endlessly and would do anything for him. So she endured months of verbal abuse and he got his way no matter the consequences or what it cost her in the end. She was already walking a fine line in her own career, she almost got reported and fired because she took out all the anger and unhappiness out on the random lowlifes she apprehended. But it just kept getting worse._

_The final straw came the day __Frankie found out that she was six weeks pregnant and she couldn't have been happier about it. The thought of a child thrilled her to no end __and she was already thinking of the wonderful life she would have. Starry eyed, she thought that this baby would help her and Joey's relationship get back to where it had been. On her way home from her shift, she was thinking of baby names and combining them to Joey's last name just to see how they would fit. Smiling as she walked into the house, she saw that Joey was watching T.V. and drinking a beer. Frankie knew he wasn't drunk, he knew how to hold his liquor. She practically hopped over to him and sat in his lap. Frankie wrapped her arms around him, kissing him passionately. She told him how much she loved him but his only reply was to comment that she was blocking his view of the T.V. and she should please lift her ass and go get him another beer. Swallowing her disappointment as she had with everything else, she got up, walked into the kitchen and got him his beer. Handing it to him she'd sat in the chair beside him. She started to think about the happy news that she still had to share with him and it made her smile. She waited for him to finish watching his movie before turning to him and taking his hand in hers._

_She looked at him for the longest moment, still thinking about what a wonderful life they would have. And then she told him about her not feeling well for the past couple of weeks and her visit to the doctor. At first, his reaction was very casual. As if it wasn't a big deal if she was sick. But when she told him she was pregnant, his reaction rocked her to to her core. Joey flew up, out of his chair and started screaming at her. Asking her how she could be so stupid and why she hadn't taken precautions so this wouldn't have happened. Frankie didn't know what to say because he knew full well that she had taken precautions since he never would, but accidents still happen and it wasn't as if she had planned this pregnancy. She was still happy about it and feeling blessed that the great miracle of life was now growing inside her. Her heart was completely shattered when he told her that she only had two options. Have an abortion or give the child up for adoption._

_At that moment, Frankie attempted to take a stand for the first time in their relationship. She was not going to let this happen, she was not going to abort or give the child away, no matter what the situation. She loved the child already and she would do anything to protect it. She'd told him that she wouldn't do either, that she was not the type of person that just runs away from her responsibility. They got into a huge fight and she failed to keep control of her emotions a few times throughout it all. Joey had finally gotten so angry that she wouldn't just give in, he smacked her right across the face. She stood there stunned and shocked to the core before she realized her eyes were now wide open to who, and what he really was and she completely flipped. She grabbed his hand and spun him around, holding his arm in a vicious lock behind his back, not caring when she felt the joint give and he screamed out in pain. She forced __him to the door, got it open and then shoved him through as he continued to moan. She forcefully told him that if he ever came near her again she would not only arrest him but kick his ass into the next world and back. Then throwing the deadbolt so he couldn't use his key, she ran straight to their room, collapsing on the bed and cried endlessly. She wondered how such a good day could go wrong so quickly. She wondered how she was going to get his crap out of her__ apartment without having to see his sorry ass again and how in hell she was going to explain this to her Nonna. Knowing Tess, she would go after Joey with a skillet and smack him upside the head for daring to touch her. Frankie felt as if she was living in a nightmare that was only going to get worse._

Frankie shuddered and pulled herself out of her thoughts immediately, before they went too far, she knew that if she didn't, they would destroy her, just like they did back then. She threw her hands up in the air and let out a huge groan, inwardly cursing herself for letting her memories get the better of her. She scrambled out of bed and walked over to her closet, getting dressed in a pair of blue jeans and her favorite Bon Jovi t-shirt. Her old but still favorite pair of Nike sneakers were always waiting for her whenever she stayed over. She brushed her hair and decided to just let it hang loose around her shoulders, instead of fastening it in her usual ponytail. She thought for a moment. _How the hell am I going to get through this day, never mind the week, month or rest of the year. Why do these memories have to return now of all times?_

Her thoughts drifted to the stranger asleep in the next room. Alistair reminded her of someone, but she couldn't put her finger on who. It was almost like she knew him from somewhere, but that was crazy, how could she have, she had just met him under the most peculiar circumstances ever. _And that kiss? Wow! That was so incredibly hot! But what the hell was that all about? Why did he do that? And why did he call her Abby? Who the hell was Abby? In spite of herself she had to admit he was gorgeous and had a body that would make any girl's head spin. Those strong arms, the way he grabbed her, held her, she had never felt that safe and secure before..._ _Stop it, Frankie, pull yourself together! Now is not the time at all. He is a man, and he will break you if you let him in, just like Joey. You know the only man who won't, doesn't really exist and he can only break your heart if you make the choice for him to do so. Unless you become his Queen, but that is also your choice at the end of that tale. So stop dreaming about men that don't exist and get your head back into reality, you silly woman._

She groaned inwardly as she looked herself over in the mirror. She looked so pale, a small shred of female pride made her apply a little bit of lip gloss to give herself some color…not that she was trying to impress anyone. She stood there and thought of a way to get herself focusing on something else, so she walked to the door fully intent to go sit in front of her computer and play Dragon Age for a while, because it always had a way of calming her and it had helped her forget in the past, so she was sure that it would again. She turned the doorknob and walked out of her room towards the living room.

xxXxx

Alistair woke up feeling extremely groggy and the worst headache ever. It felt as if someone had hit him with a ten pound hammer. His memories of the previous night suddenly made it through the pain and he remembered that he'd dreamt about a girl called Abby, a man called Loghain, an old woman with a staff of some sort, loads of hideous dead creatures scattered all over and a huge dragon that was called an Archdemon. He remembered the dream, and that he thought he'd loved this girl called Abby, but he still struggled to see the whole story behind it. How could he feel something for this girl that had only appeared in one dream. It was all so blurry and very unclear to him. Then he thought back and remembered why his head was hurting, it had been Frankie. He'd kissed her while thinking she was this Abby person and she'd punched him. It surprised him how much he had enjoyed that kiss, however brief it was and was actually impressed with the force the girl had hit him with and the fact that it had knocked him out. He worried about Frankie though and what effect it would have on the two of them. They were not best friends by any account, they had practically just met and their interactions so far hadn't exactly been good. _She is beautiful, bright and funny and has the most strikingly gorgeous green eyes I have ever seen, at least that I think I've ever seen. And wow can she pack a punch. _He knew she didn't trust him, and with good reason. He was a stranger to her, a stranger in her grandmother's house. Those thoughts brought his situation back and were almost his undoing. Why couldn't he remember? Why was everything so unclear? Would he ever remember, would it all come back to him somehow. It was like living in a nightmare of uncertainty and it was driving him crazy.

He forced himself out of bed and into yesterday's clothes from where he'd left them on the floor. He got to the bathroom and proceeded to fill the bathtub with water, still marveling at the genius of the idea of running water on demand, he stripped again and got into the tub and laid back in it to try and relax for a while. Just before the water was completely cold, he gave himself a good scrub and got out, watching the water drain away with fascination. Wrapping a towel around himself, he realized that he didn't have any clean clothes and didn't really want to put the dirty ones on again. He opened the door a little bit and peeked out into the hall to make sure no one was there.

He ran towards Tess' room while holding the towel in place and knocked on the door softly in the hopes that Frankie wasn't close enough to hear him. Tess opened her door and a huge grin spread across her face.

"Ah, I take it, you had a nice hot bath and discovered you had no clean clothes. So you thought to come and ask ol'Tess if she has any more for you, right?" She said with a smile.

"Uhm...ha...Yes..I mean I was hoping you might. I wouldn't exactly want Frankie to see me in my current state of undress" Alistair stumbled trying to make a coherent sentence.

"Ha ha, I see, you're thinking she might see your chiseled chest and go gaga for you, or are you afraid she might see your little general?" She said with an amused chuckle.

Alistair blushed three shades of red before replying. "No, no, I wouldn't want either of those things, really, uhm.., do you perhaps have something else I could wear so that I could wash the other clothes you gave me. I know I'm taking advantage of your more than gracious hospitality, but I would be eternally grateful if you can help me."

Tess just chuckled as she went to the closet in her room and called Alistair over to help her get a box down from one of the top shelves for her. The box contained an assortment of folded clothes and she looked at them a moment before commenting, "These all belonged to my son, the two of you had a similar build, so take this to your room and wear them until we can go out and buy you new clothes of your own... He was a good boy, my son. But that is in the past and I don't want to talk about it now "

Alistair hesitated for a moment before he took the clothes and softly said, "I'm sorry Tess". He cleared his throat and continued "Thank you so much Tess, I really really appreciate it and all the help you've given me." Alistair said as he picked up the box and made his way to his room with it.

Peeking around the corner to make sure the coast was clear, Alistair rushed to get to his room as quickly as he could when he ran right into Frankie. The collision caused him to drop the box and as she almost went flying, he reached to steady her while trying not to drop his towel while he did so. Her hand came to rest on his bare chest as she attempted to keep her balance and the feel of her fingertips on his skin caused a tremor to pass through his body and he had the oddest urge to pull her into a more intimate embrace.

She was obviously in a state of shock as far as he could tell from the expression on her face and they just stared at each other for a few heartbeats. As she shuffled out of his arms as quickly as she could; he heard her mumble, "Oh, sorry.. I..I..was just on my way to the bathroom."

And before he could get a word in edgewise, she bolted into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. Alistair picked up the box of clothes again, while shaking his head. _That's just great. The very last thing that I wanted to happen today just happened. How am I going to look her in the eye now? _He walked back and into his room, shut the door and sighed. Walking over to the bed he sorted through the box of clothes. He found a black shirt and pants and started to get dressed. When he was fully clothed again he walked over to the mirror and looked at himself. All his shaving scars were almost completely gone now so he didn't look like had been mauled by a bear, thankfully. Not knowing what to do now and knew he couldn't hide in his room all day he took a deep breath and reluctantly made his way towards the living room.

As he entered, he saw Frankie sitting on the couch with a funny shiny thing that looked like it could have been a combination between a book and one of those T.V. things on her lap. She was looking at it while pressing a few buttons on it vigorously. He could see that she was concentrating very hard for some reason. Before he could say a word, she lifted a finger in his direction and said, "I'm not a morning person so if you don't want to lose a limb don't talk to me until I've had at least one cup of coffee." and to that he could only reply. "Good to know"

As he said it, Alistair could hear a voice coming out of the box on Frankie's lap saying the exact same thing as he did, at exactly the same time. Both Alistair and Frankie froze with shocked expressions on their faces. He looked at Frankie, who was staring blankly at the screen before she slowly looked at him and said. "Tell me what I think just happened, actually _did_ just happen. Did you just say 'Good to know' at the exact same time and in the exact same way, with the exact same voice as my Dragon Age Alistair? Or was I just imagining it?"

Alistair stared at Frankie in confusion, feeling his frustration at everything he couldn't remember rising.

"I honestly don't know what you are talking about, _really_. How did you do that? How.. my voice, from that box.. Do you know something about me? About where I came from?"

"Oh, don't give me that, 'I don't know' bullshit again, how did you do that, how did you know about my Dragon Age game and what Alistair would say, how did you manage to say the same thing at the same time? Did Joey just send you to ridicule me about this game because it is the only thing that has kept me going since...since.  
Oh damn it.."

Feeling attacked for no apparent reason, he tried to keep a rein on his temper. "How would I know about anything you just said? I don't know this Dragon Age" he paused for a moment and said thoughtfully "The year.. the year was the Dragon Age" He looked up at Frankie and he couldn't stop the floodgate opening. "You know SOMETHING, you have to tell me Frankie, please!"

"I don't know anything about you, aside from the fact that you just showed up here and quite coincidentally became best friends with my Nonna, you look like Alistair from the game, you're built like him, you even have the same accent now that I think about it. If I was a real fool, I would actually think you were the real Alistair. That is if I didn't already know that you must be an actor. Nobody could just pull a stunt like that out of their ass and make it look _that_ real without being a very good actor..."

"Maker's breath, I AM ALISTAIR, that IS my name. I have no idea who you are, what you are talking about or who you think sent me here. Is this Joey person a powerful mage? What have I gotten myself into here and are you ALWAYS this much of a bitch?"

"That's rich, you're calling me a bitch? Really! Well, are you always this much of an asshole? Yeah I guess you are if you are any sort of friend of Joey's. He is the biggest asshole I ever met, only an asshole would stoop so low as to send their friends over to their ex-fiance's house to torment her over decisions she made that he didn't like. Not to mention the fact that she knocked him on his ass when he hit her, that makes you no better than him. You're a real piece of work. Did you really think you could pull one on me by acting all kinds of stupid, talking about mages, the Maker and you being the _real_ ALISTAIR. Don't expect me to believe that bullshit for one minute. Alistair is a damn game character NOT a REAL PERSON"

Alistair grabbed her hand and held it against his chest and glared at her "I AM a real person. I don't know what a game character means but I know I am me. I have done NOTHING to you and you shout at me anyway. I'm being an asshole? LOOK IN THE MIRROR! I don't know who the hell you think I am but I know I'm not him, of that, I am certain."

Frankie started to storm towards the door. "Oh fuck this, I have had enough, I don't need this in my life too, I have sacrificed and lost enough already, I don't need anymore. I'm outta here"

Alistair started after her, suddenly concerned "Frankie wait... I didn't mean..."

Frankie just swore as she ran out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Alistair ran his hands through his hair in frustration and followed her. Moving at lightning speed and before he could stop her, she jumped onto her motorbike and sped away like a bat out of hell.

* * *

You thought I'd forget the part where I get to make the two of you blush and look for hidey blankets, huh?...NO WAYS...

A Very Huge and Spectacular Thanks to my awesome friends and beta's **RandomWittering** (_Impossible Dreams, A Little Rod and The Rose_) and **Isabella Monroe **(_Mirror Images, The Count of Monte Antivo and A Girl in King Alistair's Court_). I really appreciate your awesome skills and endless patience with me. For always being there and being my best buds. You two are amazing, wowtastic, awesomelicious, spanktastic, fabulicious, and the bestest friends this smutty minx could ever ask for. So thank you my nearest and dearest, you will always have your own private boxes in this heart of mine. And I love ya lots.

;-)


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:** _My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me every single day of my whole existence. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on their favorite author list, the story on their favs, and alerts!_

_As per my newly adopted tradition, I will be recommending some amazing authors and there awesome stories for your reading enjoyment. So please stop by, say hi and drop a review or two if you can. You all know that everyone loves reviews just like Sten loves cookies and Jinxy loves taking bets._

Shout outs for this chapter go to:

**Kira Tamarion **_(__The Heart Of A Leader, Action vs Potential and Good Graces and Wicked Thoughts__)_ _Heart Of a Leader_, is one of my favorite stories on FF at the moment. It's an emotional roller coaster revolving around Siobhan Cousland and Gareth Mac Tir. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll simply say that it is nothing short of amazing and not to be missed.

**KCousland** _(__The Taint, Offerings, Playing with fire, A Lesson in Love, Morrigan's Ritual, The Landsmeet: On How To Be Queen and Zevran's Proposition At Camp__) _KC is a smashingly awesome author, her story _The Taint_ has kept me enthralled for months. It is a great combination of romance, drama and suspense. So Join Queen Kaylee and King Alistair on their adventure as soon as you can.

**Sesegirl **_(__The Warden Secrets and Blood, Sweat and Templars__) _Sese is one of the newest members of FF, that I have had the pleasure to meet, Her story, _The Warden's Secrets _continue to captivate me. She is four chapters in so far, and it keeps getting better. Tessa and her outrageously huge dog named Kellar, has me thrilled to no end. And it is definitely a story to be on the look out for.

**CCBug** _(__Redemption, Nobility Has Another Meaning, After The Landsmeet, Wedding Night and Full Circle__) My favorite Bug as sweet as can be, there is only one other author so dear to me. From random acts of fuckery to Rendon Howe and all his muckery. You continually keep me amazed._ ;-) CCBug has two stories that are very close to my heart. _Redemption_, A wowtastic tale of Annika Cousland's journey to find her drunken Alistair and bring him back home. There are thirty-one Chapters for your reading delights. Drop by and read it, you will definitely not be disappointed. The other is _Nobility_ _Has Another Meaning, _Co-Written by the equally awesometastic and deliciously sinful, **Lisakodysam**. These two minxes have done a brilliant job of showing me the younger years of Robert Varel and his history with the Howe's so far. And I am currently sitting around very impatiently waiting for those two, to give me another reason to think that Rendon is an ass-hat, and he should be fed to the Archdemon. 'Nuff said...lol.

* * *

**BioWare owns Ali...**

**Chapter 4**

Alistair ran out of the apartment in a rush, hoping he could catch up with Frankie. He wasn't sure what he could say or do to calm her or make her feel better, but he wanted to at least try. He saw her as she rode away on a very loud mount of some kind, a steel beast but with wheels. Alistair stood there for a few hesitant moments, contemplating whether he should go after Frankie or just wait for her to come back. He was extremely worried about her. She had been so angry and upset, the last thing in the world he wanted to do was cause her more pain and heartache. He wished he knew what had made her so upset; he knew no one just exploded like that without a good reason.

Alistair decided that he was going to look for her. He wanted to help her, maybe if he helped her with whatever was upsetting her, then maybe she would be able help him figure out where he came from. He wanted to know the whole story behind this 'Dragon Age Alistair', it was just about driving him insane and he didn't know what to make of it. He didn't understand what she meant by it nor how she made his voice come through that box that she'd had on her lap. All he knew was he needed to find her soon, not only for her sake but for his as well.

As he walked down the stairs toward the street, he saw some marks on the road, a long black streak. He could only assume they were marks left by that steel horse thing that Frankie was riding on. He studied them for a brief moment before deciding to try and follow them. He set a fast pace down the street in the direction that the tracks led. As he walked, Alistair mused to himself, _It can't be that hard to find her, right? I mean, she couldn't have gotten very far and it's just one big stretch of road. No forests to trek through or mountains to climb, so I should be able to find her easily enough. _

Just as the thought passed through him, the tracks on the road stopped. He could only venture a guess that they would appear again, so Alistair continued to walk straight ahead and kept a look out for any signs of Frankie. As he strolled through the streets he saw that there were trees and flowers that seemingly grew on the sides of the stone pathway that seemed to be there so that people could walk on it, rather than in the road. It fascinated him greatly, the way that nature could thrive between all the iron fences and stone pathways, not to mention all the people living in such close proximity to each other. He observed all the people walking around, some had funny clothes on, others had dark colored spectacles covering their eyes. Alistair wondered to himself, how on earth they would be able to read, much less see anything with them covering their eyes.

He stepped closer to the road to see if he could spot any more of the marks that Frankie's whatever it was might have left on the road. All of a sudden, another one of those steel horses came roaring past him at lightning speed. Alistair was shocked and amazed by how fast and how far it could travel in mere minutes. He would have to move much faster if he had any hope of finding Frankie. She could be miles away by now. He broke into a run to see if he would be lucky enough to catch sight of her or any clue as to where she had gone. As he ran through the city streets searching, Alistair groaned as he realized he had no idea where he was or how to get back to Tess' house. He paused to catch his breath and wondered if someone might be able to help him find his way back. He knew he only had two options now, either find Frankie or find Tess.

As he continued searching for any sign that was familiar or would point him in any direction that would lead to one of the two women, he saw a man on the street that was wearing the same uniform that Frankie had been wearing the day before. Alistair wondered if the man would know where he could find her.

He walked over and asked, "Hello sir, sorry to bother you, but I saw you are wearing a uniform that looks just like the one the girl I'm looking for was wearing. Her name is Frankie, do you know her and if so perhaps know where I can find her?"

The man looked at Alistair as if he was totally out of his mind. "Listen buddy, I'm trying to keep people from killing each other or robbing innocent people. I don't have time to help you look for some girl. Besides from the way you described her, it sounds more like you are looking for any girl in a cop uniform, does she wear high heels and have a whip too?"

"Umm, no, she doesn't, at least I don't think she does. I don't know her that well. All I know is..." Alistair started to respond only to be interrupted by the very rude cop.

"Are you really that desperate to get arrested. I could lock you up for walking around here asking for a prostitute. It's illegal man, don't you know that? And it's even worse when you come and ask a cop for one."

"Is that what you think I'm asking for, a prostitute? No no! Not at all. Furthest thing from it actually. I really am looking for a friend of mine. As I said, her name is Frankie and she is a cop." He tried to reason.

"I don't know what game you are trying to play here, but I think you better turn around and walk away now, before I change my mind and arrest you. Got it, buddy?" The cop took him by the shoulder and gently pushed him away.

"Okay fine, I'll just go and get more lost while I look for her, since you are being so helpful." Alistair said, irritated with the cop for being so obnoxious.

Alistair turned around and walked off to continue in his search, getting more and more frustrated as the minutes passed. He saw a shop across the street that had lots of T.V.'s and intrigued, decided to have a look. He crossed the road quickly to avoid being run over by yet another of those noisy steel horses. He saw that the shop was open, and couldn't resist going inside to have a look at the large variety of T.V.'s that the shop had. He was so enthralled by them that he decided he needed a break for a bit and watch these amazing things. He was in awe to see all the different shapes and sizes that they came in and all the different channels that were on display. He stood there for what must have been hours just laughing and watching all the different stories that were showing. Eventually a young woman came up behind him, tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me sir, but you have been here for three hours just watching T.V. It's not really our policy to let people stand around and watch for hours without a possibility of them actually buying one. Are you here to buy one?"

"Uhm... No...I'm just looking, thanks. These are amazing aren't they? How do you get all those different people inside that box? It must be some kind of magic, because they wouldn't fit if they just tried to climb into it" Alistair said to the girl while still staring wide-eyed as if the Maker himself had appeared inside those T.V's.

"Well if you're not going to buy one. I suggest you leave sir. Before I call the manager." The girl responded as she gave him an incredulous look.

"What is it with people chasing me away today? I didn't do anything wrong and yet everyone treats me like I'm in their way or something. I am not going anywhere, so you can call your manager and I will tell him the exact same thing. I am tired of being pushed around and rejected. I am not hurting anyone by being here either. So you just go do what you think you need to. It doesn't bother me at all at this moment in time." Alistair retorted with a little hint of irritation in his voice.

The girl spun round and stormed away, walking towards the back of the store. She returned a few minutes later with a burly old man that had a big potbellied stomach and a lot of facial hair. The old man was very forceful and told Alistair that if he didn't leave the store immediately, he would be forced to call the police. Alistair protested vehemently and the old man called the cops.

A little while later, another policeman walked into the store. The store owner immediately started pleading with the Officer to take Alistair into custody. Alistair was just relieved to see it wasn't the same one as before. The cop calmed the store owner down and took Alistair to one side so that he could have a talk with him.

"Okay, now that the old man has stopped ranting, let me just say that you can count your lucky stars that I responded to this call and not one of the other tight-asses that are out on patrol. They would have dragged your ass out of here in a heartbeat. But me, I'm really not in the mood for all that paperwork if it's not really necessary. So, why don't you tell me your version of what happened. Starting with your name and what exactly you think is going on here." the man said as he shot a grin at Alistair.

Alistair sighed in relief at someone finally listening and was reassured by the grin, "My name is Alistair, and I don't know what everyone's problem is with me today. I was out looking for Frankie, I saw a cop on the side of the road and I asked him if he might know where I could look for her. We sort of had a fight, she stormed out of the apartment and rode off on her motorbike. I was worried about her and tried to find her but I got lost. I asked another cop back there but he thought I was looking for a prostitute because I said that Frankie has a uniform just like his and she is a cop too. He told me to leave before he arrested me, so I left, got even more lost and then got distracted in here."

"Wait a minute, did you say Frankie, as in Frankie Russo? Is she the cop you are looking for?" Bob asked with a smile on his face.

"Yes, that's her! Do you know her, or where I can find her? I live with her and her Grandmother Tess, but I don't know how to get back to the house, or how to find Frankie."

"Oh, this should be good. Yeah, I know her. I owe that girl my life. Hold on a sec, I'll give her a call and we can see what we can do about your situation. I'm Bob by the way" he chuckled as he took out a small box thing that had buttons and lights on it. He pushed some of them and then put it to his ear.

**xxXxx**

Frankie arrived back at her Nonna's house feeling a bit better after blowing the cobwebs from her brain with her ride. She walked into the apartment and called out to her Nonna and Alistair. She went into the kitchen, finding Tess standing in front of the stove, busy making lunch. As she sat down at the table Tess turned around and asked. "Where have you been for most of the day young lady and where is Ali'boy? I went out this morning to run some errands and when I came back, the house was empty. Did you take him to buy some clothes?"

"Well good afternoon to you too, Nonna" Frankie retorted with a slight smile on her face. "But what do you mean, where's Alistair? I didn't take him anywhere. Why would I?"

"Where is he then? He wasn't here when I came back. So where could he have gone if he isn't with you?" Tess looked at her thoughtfully. "You're hiding something. What happened and what did you do? I can see by the look on your face that something is wrong, you know better than anyone that I can easily spot a person's heart just by looking into their eyes. So tell me, What happened and where is Alistair? " Tess's face was stern as she spoke.

"We sort of had a fight, Nonna. I lost my temper and stormed out." Frankie confessed guiltily, without even thinking of getting on her Nonna's bad side.

"You are so much like your mother, it's scary. Okay, you had a fight. What did you fight about and why storm out? Don't make me drag it out of you. Tell me before I really get upset. Or do you want me to go all crazy on you." Tess said while looking Frankie straight in the eyes.

"No, Nonna, it's just... just... Okay fine, I woke up last night and I heard noises coming from the across the hall. I got up and went to see what the fuss was about, and as it turned out, it was Alistair, thrashing around in his bed. I went to see if I could wake him because he was obviously having some sort of nightmare. To make a long story a little shorter. He woke up, grabbed me like I was his reason for living and then kissed me..."

"Oh, you're getting all lovey dovey with him already? First you try to arrest him, try to convince me to kick him out and now you're kissing him? Well, bless my old ass. Wonders never cease to amaze me..." Tess piped up as Frankie quickly responded.

"NO! He kissed me, and that's not the point. After that I was so shocked by it that I kind of hit him... I didn't mean to but it just happened Nonna, and I umm knocked him out and ran to my room." Frankie sighed and Tess could see she felt bad but agitated about it. She was about to take her granddaughter to task when Frankie said in a small voice, "That's when my brain decided now would be a great time to go into a complete melt down again about that asshole Joey."

Tess didn't know what to say, nothing she could say that she hadn't already a hundred times. She hated seeing Frankie so broken up over a man who wasn't worth being spat on.

Frankie shook herself a little and continued, "Anyway... I woke up this morning and decided to play some Dragon Age for a while just to escape from my own thoughts and of course, just after I started playing, nature called and I had to run to the bathroom. On my way, who do I run right in to? None other than Alistair, wearing nothing but a towel and a box. I ducked him as quickly as I could and went into the bathroom. I went back into the living room to play some more and Alistair came in a few minutes later..."

"Hopefully fully clothed this time." Tess piped up once again with amusement in her voice.

"Stop interrupting me Nonna! Anyway, he came into the living room and I told him not to say a word to me before I've had some coffee. Then the strangest thing happened, he replied by saying 'Good to know' but it was at the exact same time and in the exact same way as my Ali on Dragon Age. I was totally freaked out. I started screaming at him, asking him if he thought it was a big joke, and how did he know how to say those words exactly like that and at exactly the same time. I thought that maybe he was an actor and sent here by Joey to torment me about my obsession with the game, to make my life hell, or more hellish than it already is. Of course he said it wasn't true and wanted to know how I made his voice come out of my laptop and if I knew where he's from. That's when I lost it completely and stormed out. Now I feel like a complete asshole, even if I still have no idea what to think or do about the situation." Frankie sighed as she finished her confession.

"And once again, I wasn't here when all the fun happened. If I was, I would have smacked you both upside the head for being so stupid. How could you go off on him like that, Chesca? There is no way that he could have been sent here by Joey, that much I know. I will say that this Dragon Age thing really has my brain in a tizzy, but you can explain that to me later. He wasn't sent here to hurt anyone, he doesn't know who or where he is, and we are going to help him all we can." Tess said in her confusion and frustration towards her granddaughter.

"Where do we even start looking?" Frankie said, dejected.

"By not sitting on your hands with a face like a wet weekend would be a start" Tess replied tartly.

"I don't know where you pick up these phrases Nonna, but..." she began then cursed as her cellphone rang.

Frankie took the phone out of her pocket and seeing that it was one of her cop buddies, she answered it. "Heya, Bob, What the hell kind of trouble did you get into this time?" With a slightly amused chuckle.

"_Hey Russo, spotted me on the caller I.D. huh?, listen, I have a bit of a situation here that only you can handle, are you missing an Alistair?"_

"_An Alistair?"_

"_Yeh, tall, blond, way too good looking and obsessed with T.V."_

"_Shit, where is he?"_

"_Oh so he is yours? Good, come get him at the Best Buy on Fulton street, he's being a pain in the ass. And besides, I don't want to be the one who takes Frankie Russo's hot new squeeze into custody."_

"_MY WHAT?"_

"_Oh, so he's not that kind of squeeze then?"_

"_Shut the fuck up Bob, I'll be there in ten... and thanks"_

"_Anytime, just try not to kiss him to death once you get here, the store owner is pretty pissed already."_

"_Yeah yeah, funny guy, whatever. See you soon."_

Frankie slipped the phone back into her pocket and with a sigh she grumbled under her breath before saying. "That was Bob, Nonna, He said he found Alistair in the Best buy on Fulton street. I'll go get him. Are you sure you want me to bring him back? I can take him somewhere else."

Tess gave her a serious look and said. "You better bring him back here young lady, or I'll have your hide."

"Yeah okay, I'm going, I'm going..." Frankie was resigned as she turned around and walked out the door. She started her motorbike taking some comfort in its purr and left to go and collect prince charming and handsome, who everyone seemed to think she has a crush on.

She got to the store minutes later, shut the bike down and rested it on the kickstand. Tearing her helmet off, she headed into the store, only to be greeted by a laughing Bob, an angry store owner and Alistair, looking at her as if she was an angel, floating towards him on a cloud. He had the most relieved look on his face and the cutest smile. He quickly moved forward and she squeaked as he scooped her up into his big strong arms and hugged her.

"Whoa, are you that happy to see me? I thought you'd be pissed at me for the way I acted." Frankie said as Alistair gently put her down again.

"Of course I'm happy to see you. Why wouldn't I be? I was worried about you! I even went looking for you and then I ah.. got lost and I didn't know how to reach you or get back to Tess' house. I'm really quite embarrassed" he said looking sheepish. "I got distracted by all the T.V's and that's when that rude guy called Bob to come and take me away...and now I'm babbling again." Alistair explained with a blush creeping all the way up to his ears.

Before Frankie could say another word, Bob piped up. "Oh no, not that kind of hot squeeze at all huh, my saucy little friend."

"If you know what's good for you, you won't say another word. Can you handle this so I can get him out of here or do you need me for anything else?" Frankie asked as she looked at Bob also blushing three shades of red.

"You can go. I can take care of this for you. Get out of here quickly before the store owner really files a complaint, you don't need another one of those."

Frankie took Alistair by the hand and led him out the door of the shop, heading towards her motorbike. As she gave Alistair her spare helmet and helped him put it on she said, "I know we have a lot to talk about, but I don't want to do it in the middle of the street with all these people watching, so, we'll go for a drive and we can talk once we get somewhere a little more private. I can probably assume that you've never been on one of these or if you have, you can't remember, so just hold on to me and move as the bike moves, when I turn, lean into the turn with me or you'll fall off."

"So it's a bit like riding a horse?"

"Yes, almost like riding a horse, only a lot faster at times."

They got onto Frankie's bike, Alistair gripping her waist tightly and they went for a drive through the city. As Frankie went around corners, Alistair gripped her even tighter but he did lean with her and at times leaned into her. The way his body pressed into hers sent tremors through her and she tried to ignore the fact that she actually liked the way his chest felt against her back.

She rode around for a while before she decided to stop off at Central Park. It seemed like a good place to have a chat and she was in the mood for some ice-cream. They got off the bike and strolled into the park, buying some ice-cream from a local vendor and grabbing a seat on a park bench under a large tree.

Frankie had never seen someone eat an ice-cream so quickly before and she laughed when Alistair shuddered from the sudden ice-cream headache he must have just experienced. She looked him in the eyes, still wondering if she should trust him enough to tell him everything. Her Nonna's faith in this strange man, his open and friendly manner and the fact he was now looking at her with concern in his eyes broke through the barrier she tried to keep up at all times.

"Alistair, let me start by saying I am sorry for the way I freaked out on you at the house. I need to explain why I acted the way I did... You see, a little over a year ago, I was engaged to a guy and I found out I was pregnant. When I told him about it, he completely flipped out on me. He told me that I had two choices. Either give the baby away or get rid of it." She spoke sadly and Alistair could hear tears threatening.

He wanted to reach out and touch her hand, give her some comfort but she was holding herself so rigidly, he thought it might do more harm than good.

Frankie couldn't look at him and just stared at her hands as she continued, "I refused to do either because I am the type of person who takes responsibility for my actions, I was going to have the child and I couldn't even begin to think about giving the baby up for adoption... So I said no...and ….and that's when he hit me..."

"He HIT YOU! Maker's Breath, what kind of a piece of shit would hit a woman that was doing him the honor of bearing his child? I hope you handed his arse to him!" Alistair exclaimed in outrage.

Frankie laughed hollowly "Yeh, I kind of did. I knew how to defend myself, so I got him in an arm lock and shoved him out the door. I didn't take him back or go grovel at his feet and I decided to raise the baby on my own... Two months later,I...I... I lost the baby, I was shattered." Frankie broke off, clenching her fists and her voice getting harsher.

"I was angry and heart-broken, I had no way to deal with my bitterness and my grief. I didn't know if I could go on living after that, and I closed myself off from everyone. One of my best friends came over one day, gave me a pep talk and then suggested that I start to play Dragon Age to distract myself, until I could find a way to deal with life. I did and got really addicted to it, it was my escape from this world, my escape from everything that was wrong in my life. I could go on everyday pretending to be a female human noble that was in love with a charming Prince called Alistair...quite the crazy psycho fan-girl I am huh?" she said with that same mirthless laugh

She rubbed her eyes and sighed, "Somehow Joey found out about my new obsession with the game and particularly with the male character called Alistair. And he has made it his personal mission to make my life a living hell because of it. He thinks the game is the reason why I don't want him back and it's making him do anything he can to mess up my life. So when you came into the living room saying exactly the same thing as my game, I thought he sent you just to mess me up even further. Once again, I am sorry for going off on you. My Nonna helped me to see that there is no way that he could be involved in this."

Finally she looked up at him and Alistair's heart clenched as he saw the tears in her eyes. She dashed them away, embarrassed, "Although I will admit, I am still wondering exactly where you came from and what you're doing here. I will reserve my judgment of you until I know you better."

Alistair sat back on the bench a little shocked at what Frankie had just told him. He finished his ice cream thoughtfully and then turned to her.

"I'm sorry" he said softly.

"For what? You didn't do anything" she said, trying to stop her tears.

"For what happened to you, you didn't deserve that".

Frankie almost angrily turned on him "You don't need to feel sorry for me, I don't need your pity".

Alistair held his hands up "I wasn't pitying you, I'm sorry for what you had to go through but wow, all that and you are still standing? It's impressive".

Frankie looked at him with her mouth open then shut it with an audible click, again she had misjudged him.

She looked so lost that Alistair just couldn't help himself and snagged an arm round her and gave her a hug. Frankie stiffened for a moment before relaxing into him and just sobbed her heart out. He let her cry for as long as she needed.

After having a good cry, Frankie felt weak and ashamed that she had lost control over her emotions. She quickly changed the subject and told Alistair that she would show him the game and they could work together to try and figure out how the game was relevant to him. Maybe playing it himself would help him remember more of who he is and what he's supposed to do.

"Could you tell me more about it? It's frustrating not knowing who you are, I remember bits and pieces of it, but not enough to make sense of it all." Alistair asked as he ran his fingers through his hair, in his nervous fashion.

"Well, it's set in a country called Ferelden. There is a blight, and it's up to the last two Grey Wardens to stop an Archdemon and darkspawn from destroying all of Thedas." Frankie explained as best she could while trying not to confuse Alistair more than necessary.

"Archdemon...That's an Old God in the form of a dragon, I remember that. Can we take a look at it when we get back to Tess' house, please...I...I have to know." Alistair asked hesitantly.

"Of course we can, we need to find some answers and that would be the best place to start. Come on, we'll be there soon." Frankie said thoughtfully as they got up and and they made their way out of Central Park.

She knew that he would have lots of questions and would like her to explain it more, but in her current state she was glad that he didn't ask too many questions. She made a vow to herself, that she would do all she could to help him put the pieces back together.

As they walked back to her motorbike, Alistair asked her if she would teach him to ride it when she had some time to spare. He found it very exhilarating and wanted to learn how to ride it himself. Frankie stifled a giggle and agreed to teach him later. They got on the bike and took another little spin around the city before heading home.

As they reached the apartment. Frankie pulled Alistair to one side, looked him straight in the eyes and said. "Thank you, thank you for being there and for listening to me ramble on about my sordid past, I feel a lot better now that I got it all off my chest. And I want you to know that I will do anything I can to help you figure out what happened to you. I promise you that."

"You don't need to thank me, I was grateful that I could be there for you, and that you trusted me enough to tell me what had happened to you. I understand why you reacted the way you did. And I wish I knew where this Joey lived, so I could teach him some manners. Anyway, you don't need a bastard like him messing up your life. You have lots of people who love you, I don't know all of them, but I know Tess loves you." Alistair said as he put his arm around her and led her into the apartment.

"We've been out for quite some time, Nonna must be at the bistro already. We can head over there in an hour or two. In the mean time, I just need to check up on my e-mails, I think Louise, Bella and Sallie must be wondering if I've been attacked by a giant monkey or something"

"E-mails, giant monkeys, Louise, Bella and Sallie? Okaayy...I'm a little confused by all of that."

"No doubt you would be, the girls are my best friends, we talk everyday. They are family to me, you'll meet them all sometime, I guarantee it. I can't wait to see their reaction when they meet you and hear that your name is Alistair. We are all addicted to Dragon Age and that Alistair has been the topic of many sinful discussions." Frankie giggled as she walked into the living room and switched on her laptop.

"Now I don't know if I should be excited or afraid," he said looking a little alarmed.

Frankie looked back at him and smiled. "Don't worry, they won't bite, at least I hope not. Might want to be a little wary of Sallie though" she said in a teasing tone. "As soon as I'm done with these e-mails, I'll make us something light to eat, all that crying made me hungry. Then how about we look at the game for a bit and you can see what it's all about."

"Ok... but what's an e-mail?" he asked.

"An e-mail hmm, well it's sort of like sending a letter, but it gets sent electronically instead of the mail or by messenger."

"Electronically?"

"Mmm, this might be tough to explain. So I'll try to keep it simple. I use my laptop" Frankie said while showing him the computer. "And I type a letter on it, using these keys that have the alphabet on them. After typing the letter, I add the address of the person that the letter is intended for. Instead of a person delivering the message, it gets sent through the internet, and it all goes through a telephone line."

Alistair stared at her dumbfoundedly. "That is all still a bit too complicated for me."

"Okay, sit down here next to me and I'll show you. I need to ask Louise how her new computer is performing, anyway."

"Sounds good to me." Alistair said as he took a seat beside her.

Frankie showed Alistair how to send an email, how to use the internet and even showed him some videos on youtube. He was amazed by how all those things could be done with just her laptop and a phone-line. He frowned for a second before asking. "What was that thing that your friend talked to you with? How was he able to talk to you through a weird thing like that. How does it work?"

"That is called a cell-phone or a mobile phone. It is used much the same way as a normal phone, like the one next to you." Showing him the telephone on the table next to him. "But a cell-phone is different because it has no wires, so you can walk around with it. It's a bit hard to explain how it's all possible through cellphone signals and satellites. But I'll do some research on it, to be able to explain it better."

"Ah okay, please let me know. I want to know how these things work, they are very fascinating."

As she sat giggling at his amazement, Alistair got up out of his chair and said."I'm just going to use the bathroom for a minute and then I would love it if you could show me that chat thing of yours. What did you call it? Googly something." Alistair said sheepishly as he turned around and walked down the hall, while Frankie was in fits of laughter at Alistair and his comment.

Frankie got so wrapped up in her chatting session with her friends, telling them all that had happened to her, that she completely forgot to check why Alistair hadn't joined her yet. She looked around the room and saw no sign of him, she was heading toward the bathroom, when she heard the smoke alarm go off. She could see smoke coming through the kitchen doorway as she ran to it and heard Alistair letting out a few curses that would put a sailor to shame. She ran in to find Alistair coughing and holding one hand with the other, looking at a very burnt piece of toast that was lying on the ground. He looked up at her with a shocked expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to swear like that or burn anything, I just wanted to make us something to eat. You said you were hungry and I didn't want to bother you while you were busy, so I thought I could try to make something for us. I saw Tess using this contraption to make toast and I thought it would be easy enough to do. But then _I burnt myself_ on the bloody thing." Alistair sighed mournfully and his lip had such an adorable pout that Frankie had an almost irresistible urge to kiss him better. He thrust his hand forward to show her the red burn marks that he had received from trying to retrieve the bread from the toaster.

Instead Frankie smiled warmly at him. "Don't worry about the kitchen, It's nothing that can't be cleaned up later. Let me see your hand first, we need to get some cream on it, it will help, trust me."

Frankie led him to the basin, and turned on the cold water tap, putting his hand under the running water. "Just hold it still for a minute and let me get the first aid kit, that is quite a nasty burn."

Alistair held his hand in place while Frankie got the first aid kit and tended to his hand. Feeling very badly that she got so distracted. She was about to apologize when she suddenly became very aware that she was still holding his hand and how close they were to each other. She looked up and their eyes met.

* * *

**On to the Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

Before I start making the smutty minxes blush and hide. Let me first say that I am more that just ECSTATIC to inform you that the Delicious Temptress known as **Isabella Monroe**, has a new and fantastic story in the works. It is a sequel to _Mirror Images_. And it's called _Blood Sugar Sex Magik_. So be on the look-out for it.. It will be a sin to miss.

A Very Huge and Spectacular Thanks to my awesome friends and beta's **RandomWittering** (_Impossible Dreams, A Little Rod and The Rose_) and **Isabella Monroe **(_Mirror Images, The Count of Monte Antivo and A Girl in King Alistair's Court_). For always being there and listening, or in this case..reading of my daily ramblings, for always including me in all thing you do. You are amazing, and the bestest friends this smutty minx could ever ask for. So thank you my nearest and dearest. I love ya lots and you will always be family to me.

And last but not least, **Warrose**...my sinfully awesome stair thief. I love ya lots too.

;-)

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**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us.. Thanks for reading.**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** _My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me every single day of my whole existence. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on their favorite author list, the story on their favs, and alerts!_

_Due to FanFic being all buggered and me being so busy that I had to be put under minx arrest just to rest a bit and finish this chapter. I have decided to dedicate this chapter and the next to my supernatural betas and far out friends. So here is a hugely wicked grin and a thank you very much to them._

_I can't possibly break my previous record of giving you my biggest A/N in recorded history, so I'll just keep it short this time. But that does not mean that any of these authors are any less special to me._Shout outs go to:

**Aura Dorina - **_ht tp : /www .fanfiction __.net/u/2591655/auradorina_

**Raven Jadewolfe - **_ht tp : /www .fanfiction __.net/u/1947481/Raven_Jadewolfe_

**Shepard Supreme - **_ht tp : /www .fanfiction __.net/u/2542909/Shepard_Supreme_

**Shakespira - **_ht tp : / www .fanfiction .__net/u/2335959/Shakespira_

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**BioWare owns Ali...**

**Chapter 5**

Alistair was lying in his bed in the early hours of the morning, thinking about everything that had happened over the last three months. Frankie had shown him Dragon Age and he had played it but as he progressed through it, he became more and more apprehensive towards the game. He felt like he had no free will at all, that the course of his life had been decided by someone else and he was powerless to stop it. That did not sit well with him at all and he told Frankie that he didn't want to play it anymore, because it made him feel uncomfortable. He couldn't tell her that it was also that it made him remember more and more of who he was, where he had come from... or thought he had. And the dreams. It caused him to dream almost every night, of the Archdemon, the Blight and Ferelden. Two things still remained a complete mystery though, how he got here and why Ferelden Abby looked so much like Frankie.

He could see Frankie was worried and concerned about him, but she respected his choice. She didn't even play the game when he was around and he was very grateful for that. Instead, he wanted to make a difference in the here and now. He wanted to help both Tess and Frankie, it wasn't within him to live with them, eat their food and not do anything in return. So with their help, he started learning new things. Tess taught him how to cook and Frankie helped him to learn how to use and fix most electrical appliances. Her laptop was truly a thing of wonder and information.

He'd learned how to fix things that were broken around the house too, even helping Tess at the Bistro when she needed him. He'd wanted to keep up his training, even as confusing as to how real any of it was, as not only did he want to maintain his fitness levels, it also gave him a sense of peace, familiarity and discipline. Tess had shown him the cluttered basement when he'd mentioned finding a space somewhere where no questions would be asked. It hadn't taken much work to clear and tidy it and turn it into a good training space. Both Tess and Frankie had watched in fascination at first, and eventually Frankie had asked him if he could start teaching her some of what he was doing. That had turned into a regular thing and friendship and an ease with each other had blossomed with much taunting and teasing as often as possible.

He wished he knew what he was supposed to do, what was the purpose of him being here, if he could believe that Ferelden really existed. He was doubtful on the issue which raised a whole different set of questions that just made his head hurt. Instead of dwelling on it, he tried to learn as much as he could on a daily basis, making sure he knew what to do and if he didn't, just kept on trying until he succeeded. Nothing compared to his motorbike lessons though. He was so happy the day that Frankie took him for his first motorbike riding lesson. It was a hard lesson to learn and he still had a bruise on his butt to prove it. She'd taken him to a deserted strip of land, he wasn't even sure how to get there again, but it was an open field with a long strip of dirt road. He laughed at himself, remembering that first lesson.

_She sat on the bike with him and showed him how to work the throttle, clutch, brakes and gears. He was having fun learning, it was all exhilarating to him. Until he had to do it himself. Then it was painful and no fun at all. He fell off numerous times, mostly right on his backside due to the bike's front wheel jumping up for no reason. It made Frankie giggle, and that made him feel good although his ass was hurting like nothing else. _

_But after a few lessons, he'd gotten the hang of it, and could drive the bike normally without falling off. Frankie even had enough confidence in him to __get on the back of the bike, holding onto him firmly and had asked him to take her for a spin. That's right..a spin. He was learning a lot of new words and new ways to describe things. But the moment she asked him to drive with her holding onto him was the happiest out of all of it. Having her so close to him, feeling her arms wrapped around him and her head resting on his shoulder occasionally, was the best feeling in the world. _

He felt guilty that he didn't tell her about the dreams and returning memories, but he didn't know what to think about them himself. He was starting to care about her and he was afraid of losing her before there was any chance of her being his to begin with. He tried to tell her how he felt about her, but every time he tried, he worried that she might reject him because she had been hurt so badly in the past. She had given up her apartment and moved into Tess' house again on a permanent basis. She said it was because she hardly used it anymore and wanted to take care of her Nonna because she hadn't been feeling well lately. Secretly Alistair hoped that she'd also moved back in to be closer to him as well.

Alistair got up and shook the thoughts from his mind. He wanted to take a bath or something else he had grown quite fond of, taking a shower. He loved the way the water ran out of the nozzle thing in a way that it felt like hot rain falling on him. He left the room with a sigh, all the while, still trying to compose himself.

As he got to the bathroom door he heard that it was occupied, not by the sound of water running or the fact that the door was closed, it was because the sound of a beautiful voice singing in the shower could be heard from the hallway. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall with a smile. He loved to hear her sing, but rarely got the opportunity except when she had beaten him to the shower. Frankie hadn't sung in the Bistro since the first night he saw her and he kept wondering why as he listened to her beautiful voice. He'd discovered that if he listened to the words that she sang, he could tell how she was feeling or what mood she was in before he even said good morning to her.

"_I've caught myself smiling alone_  
_Just thinking of your voice_  
_And dreaming of your touch, is all too much_  
_You know I don't have any choice_

_Don't say you love me unless forever_  
_Don't tell me you need me, if you're not gonna stay_  
_Don't give me this feeling, I'll only believe it_  
_Make it real or take it all away."_

"She does sing beautifully doesn't she?" came Tess' voice from behind, making Alistair almost jump through the bathroom door.

"Maker's ass, Tess! You scared me half to death." Alistair said as he tried to compose himself.

"Only half to death? Ha ha, then I better not do it again, huh? Next time would finish you right off. We wouldn't want you dying in the hallway now, would we? Just think, if Frankie came out of the bathroom and saw you lying on the floor, she might think that you were peeping through the keyhole, saw her naked and had a heart attack" Tess said as she chuckled away.

"Ha ha, after three months you still know how to make me blush like a tomato." Alistair grinned at her as a wave of heat rushed to his face.

"Glad to see I can still keep you on your toes then. Come on, let's go make some food and leave the poor girl to enjoy her shower." Tess said as she grabbed Alistair by the arm and led him away from the bathroom door.

He helped Tess make breakfast, he enjoyed helping her in the kitchen. Alistair looked at his hand and remembered the burn he got from trying to make Frankie some toast and smiled at the memory of that night, when he'd come so close to kissing her. He was conflicted about it, he wanted to be more than just her friend, and he didn't want her to pull away from him every time he got close. He just didn't quite know how to tell her or what he could do to make her see how he felt. With a sigh he focused back on the task of helping Tess. They made scrambled eggs, bacon and toast and all the smells made Alistair's stomach grumble.

As Alistair sat at the table with Tess, he could see that she was looking very pale, and had noticed she'd not been looking well for about a week now. He wanted to ask her if something was wrong, but he knew her well enough now that she wouldn't tell him even if he asked. It still worried him a lot. After the meal, Tess got up and told Alistair that she was on her way to the Bistro and that could he please tell Frankie to meet her there later as she needed help with something. Alistair agreed, got up and cleared up the dishes from breakfast and went into the living room to watch some T.V. while he waited for Frankie to finish up.

A while later he heard a clanking noise coming down the hallway, but before he could get up to see what it was, Frankie came walking into the living room, wearing his armor, which had been dubbed 'Ali's Tin Can'. They'd kept it as it was Alistair's only link to his past, and also he liked to train in it sometimes, to keep the feel of moving with its weight on him. She strolled into the living room as gracefully as she could with a huge smile on her face. He could see she was in a very good mood. "Well, do you think I could go to work in this? Would it protect me better? Or would it look too weird?" Frankie said as she grinned at him.

"Saving the world are we? I must say, Milady, you look ravishing in that sexy 'Tin Can' of yours. Let's test it's durability, shall we?" Alistair laughed as he got up and rushed at her to try and grab her playfully. She effortlessly danced out of his reach and he stumbled a bit, knocking his knee on the coffee table. Frankie started giggling as she tried to lean down in front of him. He rubbed his knee in mock injury. "Ouch! I could have killed myself right there, and you would just be giggling at me. What kind of friend are you?" he said as he started laughing.

"Aww, poor baby. Would a hug make you feel better?" She leaned in further and hugged him. Alistair straightened up and gripped her as tightly to him as he could. He felt her freeze up and start to pull away. Not looking him in the eyes, she mumbled about needing to put on some normal clothes, and ran out of the room.

He watched her leave, wanting to go after her with every fiber of his being. He knew she was upset. Not angry upset, but she was still holding back. He could sense that she was trying to stop herself from getting too close to anyone, especially him. They had joked around often in the past. Laughing and giggling, pulling pranks on each other, enjoying training together. But as soon as they got too close to each other, she always pulled back. Alistair let out a sigh and turned around to go and sit back down. The rug beneath his feet had rucked up during their play fight, and Alistair caught his foot, losing his balance. He hit the coffee table again, this time with his head, and everything went black.

_Alistair found himself lying on his bedroll in camp, watching the stars when he heard someone approaching. He propped himself up and had to blink to make sure he was seeing right. It was Abby, right there in front of him. Alive and well, even smiling at him. "Abby..Wha...How.."_

"_Hello, Alistair. It's good to see you again. I am thankful that The Maker __granted me this opportunity, I have been wanting to see you since that day at the Landsmeet," she said, looking at him with both joy and heartache in her eyes._

"_How do I know you're real, Abby? How do I know that you aren't just a figment of my very vivid imagination that is trying to play tricks with my heart?" Alistair questioned as he rose to his feet._

"_What do you mean, am I real? Of course I am, and what's gotten into you? No hug for your Abby?" she said as a smile played on her lips._

_Alistair stepped towards her warily and gave her an awkward hug. She pulled away slightly, looked him in the eyes as she said, "You're feeling guilty, aren't you? About what happened in the past, the Landsmeet and the Archdemon. And I know something else is bothering you as well. Talk to me Alistair, we can work through it."_

_Alistair sighed and looked at her solemnly, "Yes, I feel guilty, and I still am in some ways, but right after I left Denerim... I started drinking, and drinking heavily because I lost you. Not only lost you in the 'we aren't together anymore' way but you died killing that blasted Archdemon. It was my duty to do it and I ran away like the coward I am. I let you die, and I can never forgive myself for that." _

"_But you are not to blame for it, Alistair, can't you see that? Something happened that shouldn't..." She started to say as Alistair cut her off._

"_Yes, something unexplainable happened, and to this day I still don't understand it. I was taken into another world, a place where Ferelden, the Blight, the Archdemon, even you and me, is all part of a game. It's not real, it's just entertainment for millions of people. We have no free will, all our choices are made for us, and this whole thing is driving me insane. If it wasn't for Fr... for Tess, I would have probably fallen on my sword already," Alistair confessed as he slumped back down on the ground._

"_You're hiding something, or at least there is someone that you are not telling me about. Tell me about her Alistair, tell me about your Francesca," Abby surprised him, as she took a seat beside him._

"_Frankie? You... you know about her?" Alistair stammered in disbelief._

_Abby gave a familiar peal of laughter. "Of course I know about her. I can see a lot more than you think. It is a wonder that you haven't been able to make __the connection so far. But, please, tell me about her. She intrigues me and there are some things that are hidden from me and I'd like to know."_

"_Well, she is the granddaughter of the woman who took me in when I got to the new world. New York City it's called, and it's so amazing. Anyway, I met an old lady called Tess who welcomed me into her home and took care of me, is still taking care of me in fact," he broke off and grinned ruefully. "Frankie is her granddaughter and she's a cop, a... not sure how to describe it actually... a bit like a guard. As she describes it, she has to fight crime, protect the innocent and work for world peace. She has really taught me a lot since I've been there, she is always patient with me, even if it takes me a while to understand something." Alistair broke off, suddenly uncomfortably aware of talking about Frankie like this with Abby of all people. _

"_It's alright Alistair, I asked to know," she said with an encouraging smile._

_He looked at her for a few moments and believed she meant what she said. "She is very sweet and funny, shy but can be very commanding in a way. She doesn't take any nonsense." He chuckled briefly as he ran his hand over his cheek, "And boy, can she pack a punch. She has long brown hair and beautiful green eyes, the best smile I have ever seen in my life," he narrowed his eyes suddenly as he looked at Abby. "Actually, she looks a lot like you..." Alistair said, startled. He realized what he'd just said and cringed, "Oh, I'm so sorry Abby, how insensitive of me, I should have known better. Please forgive me."_

_Abby smiled serenely. "There is nothing to forgive Alistair, and you have nothing to be sorry for. I asked you to tell me about her. You and I, we had our time and there is nothing we can do to change that, no matter how much we may want to, we can't change it," Abby said._

"_That's why I'm so confused Abby. I know that I loved you, and only you. I have memories of living my life, being with you. But then how did I end up in New York? Ever since I found out about that damned game, I... I'm afraid that my feelings might not have been my own, that I had no choice in anything, that it was all decided for me! And I don't know what to do now. I am completely lost..." Alistair said sadly, his voice thick with frustrated tears._

"_I know you are frustrated by everything Alistair, that is why I asked the Maker to bring you here, so that I have the chance to help you understand it a bit more. You see, something happened, something that shouldn't have, and although there is nothing we can do to regain what we had, there is a way for __you to return to Ferelden and make things right... in part at least..." Abby started to explain just as Alistair interrupted her again._

"_But that's the thing Abby, Ferelden isn't _real_, it doesn't exist, it is just a make-believe place where heroes or villains are made. It doesn't exist!" Alistair exclaimed as he got up and started pacing._

_Abby jumped up after him and grabbed Alistair by the shoulders. She shook him until he looked her in the eyes and said, "Will you just shut up for a second and let me finish? Ferelden IS real, I don't know the full dynamics behind how it all works, but I know that both Ferelden and New York exist. You have been placed on a path to make things right, to fix what went wrong. You won't be able to go back and mend everything, but you will be able to to pick up the pieces and move forward."_

"_You mean I'll be able to return to Ferelden?" Alistair asked hopefully, as he tried to calm down._

"_I can't say for certain that you will return, but if you watch for the signs and give it enough time without forgetting, then yes, you'll be able to return. It will however, be a new experience for you if you do, things will be a lot different and I will not be there with you. I am gone and my time has passed, but there is another that may be able to help you," she said, letting go of him and started pacing._

"_What do you mean by 'another'? Who? How do I find them?" Alistair asked as he stepped in front of her to stop her in her tracks._

"_I can't reveal too much Alistair, If I do, then everything can be undone again. We wouldn't want that. All I can say is, watch for the signs and don't forget. I can tell you one thing though, so come closer," Abby said as Alistair moved in enough for her to whisper in his ear. As Abby whispered, Alistair's eyes widened in utter shock as a huge smile spread across his lips. "Really?...I am..Are, are you sure? How is that even possible?"_

"_Yes, that is one thing that will definitely happen, no matter which path you choose. But be wary Alistair, if you travel a path that the other will not, you will only have that miracle for a short period of time. So please be careful in your choice," Abby said earnestly._

_Alistair shook his head in amazement. "I will, don't doubt that. It is like my second chance at life, you of all people know it's one of the things I have __always wanted. And I will not squander this opportunity. I promise, I will make things right again, and I am truly sorry for what I did to you." _

"_Stop apologizing! I know you are sorry and you regret what happened, please don't dwell on it anymore. You have to move on with your life and get past this. You have come to care about her a lot, haven't you? I think that is what is making you feel even more guilty about this whole thing,"_

"_Who?" Alistair asked dumbfoundedly_

"_You know who, there is no need for me to spell it out, you know exactly who I am referring to. You love her, don't you?" Abby asked knowingly._

"_What? No... I like her as a friend, just as a friend," Alistair protested._

"_Oh, come on Alistair, don't you think I can feel it, sense it. I know you love her. And strange as it may sound, I am happy for you. I am glad that she is there for you and that you are getting along so well. Your love will grow and you will be happy. She will succeed in what I could not, and she will continue to help you grow. You are like a new Alistair to me, and it's all because of her. I am very thankful for that, because without her guidance, you would never have been close to prepared to take your place in Ferelden. To become the King you were meant to be," Abby said as she hugged him and whispered in his ear, "Tell her. Promise me you'll tell her."_

"_But what if she doesn't feel the same way, what if she only sees me as a friend?" Alistair questioned while Abby pulled away, and as she slowly started to disappear she said, "Trust me, and know that I am truly at peace Alistair, be happy."_

Alistair opened his eyes and saw that Frankie was on her knees and leaning over him with concern written all over her face, as she called out to him in panic. "ALI!, Ali...Wake up. Please be okay...Please, wake up."

He shuffled a bit trying to get a grasp on his surroundings, only to look right into her striking green eyes, so eerily similar to those he had just seen. "Hmm? Oh... Frankie, I'm okay. Wow, my head hurts. What happened?"

"I don't know, I went to my room to change and when I came back, I found you out cold on the floor," she said as she helped Alistair slowly rise into a sitting position. She probed his head gently and found a large knot. He winced and cursed the table, making her choke back a laugh. She was relieved it wasn't worse, even though it had been hard enough to knock him out. The man must have an incredibly thick skull.

Frankie threw her arms around him in an intense but passionate hug, knocking him horizontal again with her on top of him. "I was so worried about you, it's not the first time this has happened, and you stay unconscious longer each time. Are you sure you're okay?"

Alistair wrapped his arms around her. "Yes, I'm fine, I think the table and I made better acquaintances than I would have liked, but don't worry, please. I'm okay."

As he enjoyed the feeling of holding her, he realized that she wasn't pulling away from him as she usually did. He brushed her hair out of her face and looked into her eyes, she was so beautiful that all thoughts of his Fade experience vanished from his mind, this comfort wiping away the sadness. All he could think about was her. His very existence yearned for her, to have her in his arms, for her to be his.

Gazing at each other, he lifted his head slightly, and just as their lips were about to meet, the door slammed open with a resounding smack. Three women came storming down the hallway.

As they came into the living room, one of them shouted, "Francesca bloody Russo! Get your arse out here and tell us where the hell you've been hiding for the last three months!" Startled at the sight before them, the woman stammered as she continued, "OH!... That's where you've been."

A dark haired woman stuck her head out from behind as she said, "Son of a mother loving butt monkey, what are you doing? And who's that?"

The third woman in the group piped up with a wicked grin on her face, "Oh, yes dearest sister of ours... DO tell!"

* * *

**Song sung by Frankie- Don't say you love me - The Corrs**

**On to the Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

A Very Huge and Spectacular Thanks to my greatest friends and beta's **RandomWittering** (_ht tp : / /www .fanfiction .__net/u/2626954/RandomWittering_) & **Isabella Monroe **(_ht tp : / /www .fanfiction __.net/u/2223941/Isabella_Monroe_). For always being there and listening, or in this case..reading of my daily ramblings, for always including me in all thing you do and for putting me under minx arrest, it did me the world of good, and you can feel free to gloat and say I TOLD YOU SO!... You are amazing, wowtastic, spanktastic, fabulicious, and the bestest friends this smutty minx could ever ask for. So thank you my nearest and dearest. I love ya lots and you will always be family to me.

A Special and very wholehearted thanks to **Pinoko K** for guest beta'ing for me in this chapter, I appreciate it greatly.

Hugs to **CCbug, Megglesnake, Kira Tamarion and Bonkzy**

And last but not least, **Warrose**...my sinfully spectacular minx. Astronomically huge hug and I love ya lots too.

;-)

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**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N:** _My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me every single day of my whole existence. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on their favorite author list, the story on their favs, and alerts!_

This chapters brilliant author shout outs go to:

**Deeca**

**Epiphany sola Gratia**

**Mille Libri**

**Zeeji**

_YOU ALL ROCK!_

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**BioWare owns Ali...**

**CHAPTER 6**

Frankie and Alistair rapidly broke apart, startled. As blushes crept across both their faces, Frankie tried for some composure as they both scrambled to their feet.

"Hi guys, this...this isn't what it looks like." Then she blinked as she realized what the question had been. "What do you mean, 'where have I been hiding', I've been chatting with you almost everyday!"

"Yes, you've been chatting, very vaguely I might add. I'm guessing we just found out the reason, you Minx! How could you not tell us? You know that we know you just as well as Tess does, so spill," one of the three women said.

Alistair looked at her curiously. She was quite a bit shorter than Frankie and had long hair that was a beautiful shade of red. He realized her accent sounded the same as his and he was really curious about why that could be.

"Not to mention the hot guy... did we mention the hot guy yet?" the second woman piped up.

"Oh wait, how rude of me, I must have left my manners in my other pair of jeans," Frankie said dryly.

"Is that where they are? Interesting," came the retort.

Alistair blushed as he worked out who the brown haired woman was referring to. He had an inkling that this had to be Sallie. Frankie had said she was the most outspoken of the group of friends. Taller than Frankie, her fine hair was cut into a short style that reminded him of feathers.

Frankie looked at her friend and replied with a smile, confirming his suspicions, "Thank you Sal. If you would give me a sec before interrupting me again, I might be able to introduce you."

She beckoned the three women over and Alistair wondered if he could escape without notice and leave them to it. The grins on their faces made him nervous.

"Sallie, Louise, Isabella, I would like to introduce you to Alistair." She tickled Sallie and could have sworn he heard her say "mother loving butt-monkey," as she squirmed and giggled.

"This is Sal as you've already guessed," Frankie teased, then turned to the red headed girl and hugged her.

"This is Lou, I'll explain about the accent thing in a minute," she said cryptically.

Finally she stepped behind the last woman and put her hands on her shoulders. Alistair couldn't help but admire the fall of her blonde hair and delicate features. "This beautiful creature is Bella," Frankie finished, stepping in front of them again with a grin at the woman who was trying to look annoyed with her. She was a striking woman, tall and slender, but not a patch on Frankie in his mind.

"Alistair? You look so much like the Ali..." Bella started to say when Frankie interrupted.

"Yes well, about that... Well it's sort of a long story, I don't really know how to explain it and you are all gonna be booking a room at an insane asylum for me once I've told you," Frankie said as she motioned everyone to get comfortable. She moved back to the sofa where Alistair had settled. Bella and Lou were eyeing him very suspiciously while Sal was flapping her hands incredulously. "Helloooo? Hot guy? Explanation?"

Frankie laughed and looked at Alistair helplessly, then sighed. She knew she should have told them before it had gotten to this point but seriously, how do you start explaining something like this?

Alistair looked curiously at each of the women with a nervous smile on his face. He could admit that he was a bit taken aback by their intimidating presence. They seemed like lovely women, but he could see that they cared about Frankie very fiercely and wouldn't want any harm to come to her. He really wanted to try and make a good impression, although he had no idea how to go about it. From what Frankie had told him, they were the most important people in her life, apart from Tess. Which made him even more nervous with the current situation he was now facing.

"It is a pleasure to meet you ladies, I have heard a lot about you. It is an honor to meet you at last," Alistair said, trying for his most charming smile.

Alistair froze and wondered if he had grown an extra head by the look on the faces of the three women as he spoke. He looked at Frankie for help but she was obviously trying hard not to laugh.

"That.. that is almost the reaction I had." She chuckled at her friends. Alistair just looked at her in confusion.

"The voice, Alistair, your accent," she said with a smile.

"Ohh I see." He cleared his throat. "Good to know," he said and privately enjoyed the electric reaction from Frankie's friends, as well as hearing Frankie laugh.

"OK, explain, right now missy!" Louise demanded, unable to take her eyes off the enigma in front of them.

Frankie looked at Alistair with a questioning look and he smiled back and nodded.

"Well... three months ago I nearly shot him when I found him here unexpectedly..." she began.

"Yes, and you'd have thought it could only improve from there really," Alistair added dryly.

Frankie just laughed and let the whole story out, engrossing her friends with something that still seemed so unreal, even to her.

"So you see, that's how it all happened, and for the last three months, Nonna and I have been teaching him all sorts of things about New York and the twenty-first century, from flushing toilets to how to ride my bike. So... which room in the insane asylum are you guys gonna put me in after hearing that?" Frankie said with a nervous giggle.

The girls sat there mouths half open in shock.

"You have GOT to be shitting me," Sallie said.

"I beg your pardon?" Alistair asked unceremoniously. "What?"

"She means she's finding it hard to believe," Frankie said with a hard look at Sal.

"Whatever," Sallie replied, shaking her head. "It's just... wow!"

Understanding, he gave a helpless shrug. "I'm sorry ladies, I know this must be as much of a shock to you as it was to me. To be honest I am still very uncomfortable about the whole situation because I have no idea what to make of it."

Louise snorted. "Yeh, I think I can understand that."

"Can we say mind fuck?" Sallie asked. "How do you even start sorting that out? Have you contacted the people that make the game? Maybe some freaky magic thing?"

Frankie suddenly looked evasive. "Well, can you imagine a response you'd get to an email like that? I mean, they think I'm more crazy than you guys do," she said.

"They think?" Bella picked up on that instantly. "So you _have_ contacted them?"

Alistair frowned and looked at Frankie who was deliberately avoiding his gaze.

"Frankie?" he asked.

"I might have sent a few queries," she muttered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"I was going to," she said, glaring at Bella.

"Umm sorry, did I just put my foot in it?" Bella said looking from one to the other in concern.

"Okay, we'll talk about that later shall we," Alistair said, hurt that she hadn't told him what she had been doing. He didn't even have a clue when.

"So what did they say?" he asked, shaking his head.

"That I'm crazy, like I just said," she said, finally looking at him and he could see in the stubborn look in her eyes that this was a subject she did not want to discuss right now, in front of her friends.

He was irrationally angry that she'd kept this from him and not wanting to cause a scene, he stood up, said "Coffee?" and strode off to the kitchen.  
Frankie blinked and looked at her three friends in embarrassment and they just looked back at her with raised eyebrows. _Fuck it_, she thought and went after Alistair.

She cornered him as he was grabbing mugs and slamming them on the counter.

"So when were you going to tell me, if at all, Frankie?" he said, keeping his back to her. He knew his tone was angry but he couldn't help it. They had been getting on so well lately and now this.

"Why the hell are you getting all pissed off with me for trying to help you?" she said, her own temper flaring. "Okay, I will admit that I should have said something sooner but how do you just come out and say something like that? 'Uhm hi, guess what? I wrote some emails to BioWare and told them that you were here, and now they think I'm a nutty fan-girl who has nothing better to do with my time, and I should stop contacting them'."

Alistair turned towards her with a scowl. "That would have been a good start, yes."

Frankie ran her hands through her hair, trying to keep a lid on her temper. Her anger frightened her, especially because of what had happened in the past and she didn't really know how to deal with Alistair's.

"OK you want full disclosure? I might as well come clean! I've even been writing on a community site to ask some real 'Alistair fan-girls' for some help on this freaky situation I'm in."

Alistair laughed without humor. "So I'm a freaky situation now? Is that it? Not Alistair, not Ali, not my knight in a tin can? A freaky bloody situation!"

"No! Of course not, you're not a freaky situation, it's just that I... well I l..like you, and I wanted to do what I could to help you." Her voice was shaky and he had a horrible feeling she was close to tears.

That stopped him in his tracks and all the anger drained out of him. He stared helplessly at her.

"Maker's breath, I'm sorry Frankie," he said, grabbing her into a hug. She didn't pull away, holding him just as hard instead.

"I l..like you too," he whispered. She just held him harder.

"So, is it safe to come in now?" Louise said from the doorway. They both looked up and reluctantly separated.

"As safe as it ever gets around here," Frankie told her in a wry tone.

"Ah good, I was hoping I wasn't going to have to get out the water hose or anything." She grinned.

"Look, we've had an idea... I know you have to get to work soon and we'd quite like to get to know Alistair better. How about we kidnap him, take him to the Mall since we were planning on going there anyway. I bet you've been taking him shopping 'Russo' style? Run in, buy the first thing you find that works and out as fast as possible?" she teased.

"Now that's not fair Lou, I have been quite busy lately and he looks fine in uncle Mario's clothes plus what we've bought him. I was planning on taking him next weekend actually, before our monthly clubbing night,"

Louise feigned shock. "You mean you aren't going to make an excuse not to come again?" Frankie just stuck her tongue out.

"Mind you, we know the reason now and if I may say so, I think some shopping is definitely in order. What do you say Alistair? We'll try not to scare you too badly." She smiled, ignoring Frankie.

He looked at Frankie who smiled and nodded. He felt a bit uneasy about being alone with her three best friends but after her admission that she liked him and that hug... he wanted to get to know those dearest to her, now more than ever. He wanted them to like him too, Maker willing.

"Love you, thanks Louise," he said then froze. Frankie and Louise had also gone stock still and he inwardly cringed, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him. _What the hell? How do you recover from that?_  
He heard an odd noise and turned to see Frankie with her hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes.

"Maker, Frankie, I..." he said pleadingly before Frankie couldn't take it anymore and started shrieking with laughter. Louise's howls joined hers and he couldn't help grinning, even though his cheeks felt like they were on fire.

When Bella and Sallie reached the kitchen to see what the commotion was about, they found Frankie, Alistair and Louise leaning against each other in convulsions of laughter, tears running down their cheeks. Every time they started to calm down one of them would pipe up "love you, thanks" and off they would go again.

"Maker's breath, that is _not_ what I meant to say," he said, mopping at his eyes.

"Lovely, thanks! How hard is that to say?" He chuckled.

He felt Frankie rubbing his back reassuringly as she tried to get her own giggles under control. Louise had tried to explain to the others what was going on but kept breaking down so gave up. Bella and Sallie had gotten the gist and went from grins to laughter fast and had joined in on the giggle-fest.

"That... was priceless," Lou gasped.

Frankie wiped her eyes again and caught sight of her watch.

"Dammit, I have to get ready. I wish I could come and play with you monkeys, even if it is shopping," she said.

"Aww we'll take good care of him Frankie, we promise," Bella said.

"That's what I'm afraid of!" Frankie retorted, bursting into laughter again.

"Oh now that's harsh!" Sallie objected. "We've not broken anyone yet"

"Yet being the key word Sal," Frankie grinned.

"Don't listen Ali, we will be very gentle with you," Louise said, grinning impishly.

"What can I say, I guess I am at your mercy ladies!" He chuckled.

"OK, just have him at the Bistro by seven, no later." Frankie wagged her finger at them.

Frankie hugged Alistair, and to his shock, she gave him a brief kiss on the cheek. He smiled at her softly and she returned it. He felt like something important had shifted between them and if it had been his foot in mouth moment that had done it, he would stuff both in next time.

"OK, one cop needs to get changed and to work, and you four need to get shopping. Have fun, I'll see you all for dinner at the Bistro," Frankie said, shooing them off.

"Oh, Bella! Can you take Alistair in your car? He will _love_ it," Frankie paused, as she went to her room.

"My baby? Sure!" Bella grinned.

They walked outside and Alistair saw a car parked in the street and he went to look at it, practically drooling. Isabella proudly told him it was her car and he let out a startled, "WOW, What kind of car is that?"

"That, my dear Alistair is a Mercedes Benz SLK 350, along with it's many fine features there is one that I hold most dear...it hugs curves like a tight sweater hugs a woman with a 32DD chest."

"Maker's breath!" he said.

**xxXxx**

It seemed like hours later when Alistair finally got to sit down. He had a feeling Frankie's friends had been having a great time getting him to try on different things and assessing how they looked. They all had different tastes in clothes so there had been much banter between them all but he could tell how close they all were and that made him feel closer to Frankie. He was very grateful that they had included him and hadn't made him feel left out at all. He also felt very much at ease with Louise, as there wasn't really much else he could do to embarrass himself in front of her. She easily included him in conversations or explained something if he didn't know it already. He could see why Frankie loved her. Bella and Sallie were very different but no less special to her. Bella had a very shrewd intelligence, a way of looking at the world with clear eyes. Sallie was the joker of the group, keeping them laughing with her witty retorts and comments. He felt all three of them were forces of nature and loved them all for how much they cared about Frankie.

They had finally declared it was time for lunch and Andraste's arse, he was glad to be able to put down what seemed like far too many bags than was healthy for one man... or even three women.

They got settled and ordered food and drinks. As the chatter continued, he couldn't resist seizing an opportunity to learn more about Frankie from those that knew her best.

"So, I will probably regret this, but how do you know Frankie? From what she has said, you've all known each other for quite a while,"

The girls looked at each other then launched into lively stories about Frankie and Alistair sat back, listening in fascination.

"Well let's see. Isabella grew up with Frankie, her oldest friend. Tess often says she thought she'd managed to adopt another grandchild she was around so often," Louise said.

"Lou and I met them at College... Louise was in luuuuurve with Frankie," Sal drawled with a grin, timing her words to match Alistair taking a drink and laughed with glee when he spluttered.

"Umm what?" he asked, looking at Louise who had turned slightly red and glared at Sallie.

"It's not quite as she makes out! I'm from England and came to New York to study and we kind of all bumped into each other when we were still finding our way around the campus. I might have had a _little _crush on Frankie but... you know, she doesn't go that way, so we became friends instead. Honestly Sal, could you make it sound any more sordid?"

"Why yes, yes I could," Sallie replied with an unrepentant grin.

Louise smacked her on the arm and Alistair laughed. Sallie fixed him with a glare and he just shrugged at her nonchalantly.

Louise stirred her drink idly as she said. "Sal is from Texas, Alistair... What's the rumor about people from Texas? Oh that's right, you all wear cowboy hats and boots and ride cows," she said with amusement.

"Oh, no you smutty monkey! NOT this again." Sallie groaned as Louise suppressed a giggle and winked at Alistair.

While glaring at Louise, Sallie continued, "NO! I don't wear cowboy hats or boots and I definitely don't ride a cow to work."

Alistair looked bemused. "I'm... glad? I can't see how you would even do that!"

Isabella laughed and leaned forward. "So, Alistair, did Frankie tell you about the time she went Bush diving?"

Both Sal and Louise spluttered with laughter and Alistair raised an eyebrow. "Bush diving? I thought Louise didn't.."

Shrieks of laughter greeted that comment and he realized he had fallen for their sneaky plan. He shook his head and laughed and asked to hear the story.

"Well, watch out for Sal because she likes to make bets with people when they are drunk. She dared Frankie to do a Lady Godiva on her motorbike. She refused to do it totally naked thankfully, but..."  
Alistair shook his head confused and interrupted, "Sorry, who is Lady Godiva?"

"She was a woman in England about a thousand years ago who rode naked on a horse through the streets of her home to protest an unfair tax imposed by her husband," Louise explained.

Both eyebrows went up this time as Alistair thought about that. "Well I've seen unusual methods used to protest about being taxed but never that!"

All three girls laughed and Isabella continued her story.

"We were at a party on Brighton beach and _might_ have had a little bit too much to drink. Sal dared her to ride her bike naked, but settled for her being in her underwear. She did it too, but was going really slowly and waved at some cops as she passed them... and drove straight into a bush. The cops fished her out and gave her a talking to, but they were laughing too much to be too hard on her. I think she made their week!"

Alistair just started laughing, he could totally envision Frankie doing something that mad and he couldn't wait to tease her about it.

Louise looked at Isabella and Sal speculatively, with a naughty glint in her eye before saying in an innocent tone. "Of course there was the Greg incident too,"

Sallie looked up, confused and said, "Huh? Greg? The bastard that dumped me in College?" Just as Isabella said, "That guy I dated for a little while?"

The two girls then looked at each other, mouths open and the squawking began. Louise looked at them solemnly before looking at Alistair out of the side of her eyes and winked with a ghost of a smile.

Isabella huffed finally at Sallie, "Shut your pie hole!"

Sallie just grinned back, "Well gimme some pie then, I'm hungry!"

Louise looked at Sallie in disgust. "Again? Oh for pity's sake Sal, we just ate! We'll be meeting Frankie at the Bistro later and you can eat when we get there, now both of you shut up and let's go!"

Alistair found it a little bewildering how quickly they fought and let it go, but he also found their interactions fascinating.

He groaned as he got to his feet again and the girls quickly launched into a cheeky debate about stamina as he gathered up the numerous bags once more. He swore the bloody things were breeding.

As they led Alistair off to yet more shops, he realized that even though he wasn't saying much, finding it a little hard to keep up with the chatter shooting fast and furious between the three girls, he felt included, part of the group. It was a feeling he'd been missing and hadn't realized it.

The afternoon seemed to speed through with yet more purchases, feeding Sal cookies to quiet her complaining and coffee at regular intervals for them all, as they started to tire. They had taken him to a place called Starbucks and ordered him something called a grande Caramel Macchiato. It was absolutely delicious and within minutes he'd felt more energized than a nug hit by lightning. On their final coffee stop, Louise looked at Alistair keenly as they all sat down with huge sighs of relief and decided enough was enough. She declared herself worn out and she returned Alistair's grateful smile with an understanding one.

They relaxed for a while until Isabella looked at her watch. "Oh shit! We better get moving, or we'll be late. Frankie told us we had to get Prince Charming back to the Bistro by seven and we still need to drop off the shopping and get Alistair changed... umm I mean let Alistair get changed."

Sallie giggled. "Well, she's used to us being late. Except when we walk in on her almost kissing certain people, that is."

Alistair turned a faint pink and suddenly found his coffee very interesting.

**xxXxx**

Frankie sat at the bar in the Bistro, getting a bit frustrated while waiting for the girls to arrive with Alistair. She had said to meet there at seven but she knew her friends too well, and didn't expect them until 8. Frankie looked at her watch and they were now half an hour late beyond what she usually expected. She sighed and as usual, her thoughts drifted to Alistair. He had learned so much over the past three months and she was proud of the progress he'd made. He'd learned to stand up for himself more too, which brought a lot of pride to Frankie when she realized that he allowed people to walk all over him. The world too was harsh to let it continue.

Remembering their brief fight earlier made her think of all she had done so far. She knew she should have told him at the time, but if she had been on the outside looking in, she would have thought herself crazy as well. She spent most of her free time with him, and when she didn't, she was busy on her computer, trying to find some answers for him. Frankie had even taken the advice that Angie, one of her online friends had given her. She'd posted on a site for awesome authors of Dragon Age fanfic. She had gotten some good advice, as well as some other fan-girls who were all too happy to come and snatch Alistair away from her. But still nothing to help him get the answers he needed.

Still lost in her thoughts, Frankie didn't realize that Tommy behind the bar was calling her. "Hey Robocop, your friends are here," She swung round on the chair as she spotted all four of them strolling into the Bistro. They were laughing and Sal and Bella each had an arm hooked in Ali's. Frankie couldn't help but feel a little jealous when she saw that. It wasn't that she was jealous of any one of them, but she missed the closeness that radiated from them. She missed her friends and she missed having someone to share her life with. The feeling vanished, however, the second Alistair caught sight of her and his face lit up with a happy smile. She took a long look at him and thought he looked amazing. Well fitting trousers, a white shirt with a couple of buttons left undone and a jacket that fit his broad shoulders to perfection. The girls had done their magic very well indeed. She saw Louise say something to the others and they nodded and took a seat at a table close to the stage.  
Louise walked over to her with a thoughtful look and a smile on her face. "Come on minx, What's up? I can see something is eating away at you, spit it out!"

"Eating away at me? Nothing! I'm fine, Lou." Frankie sighed.

"Oh, huge honking donkey balls! You can try that one on anyone else, but you know it won't work with me, NOW TALK!" Louise said as she pulled Frankie out of her seat.

"Okay, FINE! Goddess Louise, if you can see into my head that clearly, you should know the answer already! What happened earlier... I don't know how much you heard at the end but... I think I lo...like him, but I am so scared of getting hurt again. You know it can happen so easily, and even worse than that, what if he doesn't feel the same way? I know he might like me but what if it's not in a romantic way and I just end up making an ass of myself. I won't let that happen again." Frankie sighed as she shook her head. "I can't talk about it now, can we just sit down and have some dinner, please. I am sorta starving."

"Fine, we can eat, but I am far from done with you. We _are _going to talk. Just for the record though. You can ask Sal or Bella if you don't believe me, he definitely likes you, more than just a little. Trust me." She winked at Frankie while they walked to the table and took a seat.

Her mood improved rapidly as they had dinner, laughing and chatting the night away. Frankie kept noticing that all three of her friends were giving her suspicious looks, especially Lou. She was about to ask what was going on when Louise got up, winked at the other girls and ran onto the stage. She tapped the microphone to check it was on before speaking.

"Good evening all you beautiful ladies and handsome fellows, may I have your attention for a moment? I will be entertaining you with a song in a few moments. This song has a lot of meaning for me and it's also a message for our dear Frankie. So here goes."

The music started playing and Frankie tried her best to hide under the table. Bella and Sal grabbed her by the arms and pulled her back onto her chair so that she could hear what her friend was singing to her.

_Chiquitita, tell me what's wrong_  
_You're enchained by your own sorrow_  
_In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow_  
_How I hate to see you like this_  
_There is no way you can deny it_  
_I can see that you're oh so sad, so quiet_

_Chiquitita, tell me the truth_  
_I'm a shoulder you can cry on_  
_Your best friend, I'm the one you must rely on_  
_You were always sure of yourself_  
_Now I see you've broken a feather_  
_I hope we can patch it up together_

Bella and Sal both got out of their seats and walked on to the stage to join Lou in her singing extravaganza. Frankie remained in her seat giggling and blushing three shades of red, as all three friends started singing together.

_Chiquitita, you and I know_  
_How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving_  
_You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end_  
_You will have no time for grieving_  
_Chiquitita, you and I cry_  
_But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you_  
_Let me hear you sing once more like you did before_  
_Sing a new song, Chiquitita_  
_Try once more like you did before_  
_Sing a new song, Chiquitita_

_So the walls came tumbling down_  
_And your love's a blown out candle_  
_All is gone and it seems too hard to handle_  
_Chiquitita, tell me the truth_  
_There is no way you can deny it_  
_I see that you're oh so sad, so quiet_

All three walked off the stage with the microphones still in their hands, singing all the way as they walked over to the table. They hooked their arms around each other as they enjoyed seeing Frankie blushing like a tomato. Alistair couldn't be grinning any wider as he enjoyed her reaction.

_Chiquitita, you and I know_  
_How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving_  
_You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end_  
_You will have no time for grieving_  
_Chiquitita, you and I cry_

_But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you_  
_Let me hear you sing once more like you did before_  
_Sing a new song, Chiquitita_

_Try once more like you did before_  
_Sing a new song, OUR FRANCESCA!_

Tears brimmed in Frankie's eyes as she realized just what her friends were trying to tell her through that song. She wiped her tears away before they could be seen by anyone and thanked her friends silently. Alistair helped Frankie out of her seat and escorted her to the stage. He bowed and kissed her hand then winked at her as he went back to their table. Louise gave her microphone to Frankie and said, "Come on, minx. Time to shine, show us your stuff."

Frankie grinned as she shook her head and said quietly, "What the hell are you guys doing to me. You plotted this from the start, didn't you? I wasn't planning on singing tonight!"

Alistair perked up and said, "Well, except for the first night I saw you, I have only heard you singing in the shower and I would like to hear you sing tonight. I believe that these lovely ladies would agree with me. SO SING!"

Bella grinned wickedly at Alistair as she asked, "In the shower, huh. Was that a solo performance or did you join her for an encore presentation?"

"Uhm...uh.." Alistair tried to respond, blushing furiously.

"You like to hear singing in the shower? Why don't you take one with me sometime. I'll play the flute for you," Sallie piped up enthusiastically.

"Honestly Sal, is a man and a truckload of battery operated toys not enough for you?" Louise giggled with glee.

Sallie looked at Louise, stuck her tongue out at her and said, "Bite me, Brit!"

Lou grinned back evilly and responded, "Just tell me where."

Frankie shook her head and looked at all of them with a bemused expression. "And here I thought I belonged in the wacky shack."

"You're already there with us babe, you have an honorary membership and a hat to prove it," Louise laughed outright.

"Since you went to so much trouble to set this up, will you bunch of monkeys just grab a seat and shut the hell up so I can sing for you?" Frankie asked slyly.

She stood up straight and spoke into the microphone.

"Hey, all you lovely people. I hope you were enjoying your meals as these three brilliant women entertained you with their song. Thank you Bella, Sallie and especially thank you, to you Louise, you sly temptress." She paused and winked at Louise. "I will now be singing a song for you as well, one that is very close to my heart, and that also has a special message for all three of my friends, so I hope you enjoy it."

_It must have been cold there in my shadow_  
_To never have sunlight on your face_  
_You were content to let me shine, that's your way_  
_You always walked a step behind_  
_So I was the one with all the glory_  
_While you were the one with all the strength._  
_A beautiful face without a name, for so long_  
_A beautiful smile to hide the pain_

_Did you ever know that you're my hero_  
_And everything I would like to be_  
_If I can fly higher than an eagle_  
_You are the wind beneath my wings_

_It might have appeared to go unnoticed_  
_but I've got it all here in my heart_  
_I want you to know I know the truth_  
_Of course I know it_  
_I would be nothing with out you_  
_Fly, fly, fly away_  
_You let me fly so high_

_So high against the sky_  
_So high I almost touch the sky_  
_Thank you, thank you, thank God for you_  
_The wind beneath my wings_

Frankie finished the song, and put the mic back on the stand. The whole Bistro went up in cheers for the four women who had done such an amazing job of entertaining them with songs and giggled about the hidden messages within them. Frankie came off the stage and hugged all of her friends enthusiastically before she turned and threw her arms around Alistair, gripping him in a fierce hug as well. All five of them had found a new kind of appreciation and admiration for each other that night and they sat back down at the table, enjoying a few glasses of wine as well as each others company well into the wee hours of the morning.

As Tommy called out that the last rounds were being served before the bar closed for the evening, Frankie thought it might be best to head home and try to get some rest. They had all planned on going out again the next Friday night, and the way Frankie knew her friends, it would be another long and exciting night. After many hugs, she and Alistair bid the girls a good night before they exited the Bistro to get to Frankie's bike. They got outside and Frankie gave Alistair his helmet as she got on to her trusty transportation. Alistair settled himself into the seat behind her and held onto her as she dropped the clutch and drove them home.

They got to the apartment a short while later, but Frankie didn't feel like going to bed just yet. She asked Alistair if he wanted to watch some T.V. with her for a little while. He readily agreed and they proceeded to sit on the couch, and watch one of Alistair's new found favorite movies 'Twister, starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton'. Frankie sat closer to Alistair and was caught a bit by surprise when he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. She felt warm and safe against him and she started to get sleepy but didn't want to move. The last thing Frankie remembered seeing was the part in the movie where the cows were flying about while they were being tossed around by the tornado. Just before she fell asleep she muttered the essential 'we have cows' line and dozed off with her head on Alistair's shoulder, as he tried not to shake with laughter.

* * *

**Song sung by Louise, Isabella and Sallie- Chiquitita - Abba.**  
**Songs sung by Frankie** **- Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler.**

_**Who can guess what the hidden messages were?**_

* * *

**On to the Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

_As much as I love writing and how special it is to me personally, I cannot take all the credit for it, for those who know it or not, my betas ARE my guardian angels. _

_This chapter really threw me for a funky loop, and when I was ready to give up on it, my saving grace aka __**RandomWittering**_ _popped up and saved me from myself. It would not have been a fraction of what it is, if it wasn't for her endless patience, amazing writing and editing skills as well as her awesome friendship. So thank you very much sweety-pie and love ya lots._

_A Spectacular thanks to my awesome friend and beta __**Isabella Monroe**__. I really appreciate all that you do for me, from me taking advantage of your awesomely creative mind, all the way to a peek-a-boo, can I bug you? I appreciate it more than words can say. And love ya lots too._

A Special and very wholehearted thanks to **Pinoko K **for guest beta'ing for me in this chapter, I appreciate it greatly.

Jinxy hugs go out to... **CCBug, Lisakodysam, megglesnake, Kira Tamarion**, **Bonkzy** and the newly joined **Alannah Ravna** (Thanks for the PM's, they really made my day).

Always last but NEVER least, HUGE Jinxy hugs to ya **Warrose** and I love your new haircut, you smutty minx..

* * *

**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you ****are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us.. Thanks for reading.**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers and readers. You all make me jump for joy on a daily basis, doing all kinds of flirty things, dreaming up jolly purple dragons and all sorts of fun, just to display my endless happiness. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on their favorite author list, the story on their favs, and alerts. You all rock._

_I have been presented with a dare of sorts. And I am here to answer. And just because this is such a special one, I made it extra long for you. This mammoth of a chapter is just over 9000 words long. And I am truly thankful that Random didn't tell me to very swiftly go to hell and edit the damn thing myself. *Evil Little Chuckle* So with a witty grin, I say thank you very much._

_**ATTENTION ALL SMUTTY MONKEYS!**_

_***Rough bouncing bed ahead! You have been thoroughly warned!**_

* * *

**BioWare owns Ali...**

**Chapter 7**

Alistair was sitting on Frankie's bike in the early hours of the morning, as he thought about the past week, it was Friday, and he once again found himself mulling over everything that had happened. He found it quite funny that he ended up reflecting on past events while either laying on his bed or just sitting on her bike. He never started it without her being there, he just liked to sit on it as he thought about anything that was on his mind. Right now it was Abby. Seeing her in the Fade, all the things she'd told him. It had been so good to see her again and he felt as if a little piece of his heart had healed from all the guilt he had been carrying, ever since his memory had returned. _He needed to prepare himself to get back to Ferelden, he had to take his place as King_. But how did he even begin to do that? That was one question that kept boggling his mind. The other thing Abby had whispered to him... that was a whole different matter and was almost too much to think about. _Was that even possible? Could Frankie really be one she was referring to? Was Frankie the one? Was she supposed to be the m... _Shaking himself from his thoughts, he tried not to dwell on it, it was too much. There was no way that it could happen, it was impossible, but deep down he was hoping that it could be true.

As he sat, balancing the bike's weight with his legs, he paid close attention to all the little dents and scrapes on the body of the bike. It made him feel bad to some extent, because most of them were caused by his riding lessons. Frankie never complained about them or said that it bothered her in any way, but it bothered him, he knew about them. He had spent enough time repairing his armor that he knew how to work out the dents in metal, so one warm, sunny afternoon he sat with her and showed her how to work the dents out of any of the metal pieces. There were some that he couldn't fix or at least not to the condition that it had been before. He thought it might be a good idea to wash the bike for Frankie, maybe it would be a nice surprise for her once she woke up. Alistair got everything together, a bucket of water, a towel, special soap that he knew she used to give the bike a good scrub, and a microfiber washrag. He was still trying to figure out exactly what a microfiber washrag was, but he knew he would be thinking about it for quite some time and still not come up with an answer, so he forgot about it and went outside. He started washing the bike off, making sure that he cleaned every bit of it to perfection. Alistair soon discovered that he was getting extremely hot and his shirt was drenched, so he thought he may as well take it off. He tucked the shirt into the side of his belt to make sure he didn't lose or forget it once he was finished.

Alistair bent down to wet the rag in the bucket of water once again when he realized that it was missing. As he looked around, he spotted something moving behind him and the very next moment he was absolutely soaked with water. Frankie had sneakily manoeuvred herself behind him and threw the whole bucket of water on him while saying in a sing song voice. "Oh, looky looky, I got myself an Aaallliiii." She started giggling and continued, "Good morning dear Knight, how was your swim?"

As Frankie playfully tried to run away, Alistair grabbed her and pulled her to him, getting her soaked as well. She squirmed to get out of his grip, but he just held on and laughed. "Oh no you don't! No one wets a dashing knight like me and gets away with it... without being thoroughly tickled."

She squirmed, wriggled and giggled as he tickled her. Finally getting loose from his merciless grip, they started chasing each other around the bike, like two children playing tag. Frankie held her hands up in mock surrender and said. "Okay, I give up, you win. Punish me anyway you see fit, dear Knight."

Alistair took that opportunity with both hands, he ran over to her and engulfed her in another fierce hug, nuzzling his very wet and cold hair into her neck, which made her squirm and giggle even more. He loved to see her like this, laughing and smiling without a care in the world. He felt her move her head in his direction when he heard Tess cough amusingly from behind them.

"Oh, good lordy, why don't you two just get a room already. You are so sweet together that it's giving me a toothache." She chuckled and continued, "I need to talk to you for a minute, Cesca, so quit sucking face and come in here will you."

"Nonna! I was doing nothing of the sort," Frankie exclaimed.

"Well you were damn close to it," Tess retorted with an amused grin.

"Whatever you say, Nonna, I know you're not going to let me win, so I'm not going to argue with you." She smiled and looked at Alistair, "Thanks for washing the bike, or should I say 'love you, thanks'?"

"Oh, aren't you the funny one. I'm never going to hear the end of that am I? Oh I know, maybe we can go bush diving later?" Alistair said with a cheeky grin.

Frankie's mouth dropped open and she blushed, making Alistair laugh.

"I'll kill them!" she said finally.

"What did Sal say when we were shopping? Payback is a bitch?" he teased.

Frankie grinned up at him, "Just remember that works both ways!"

She lightly scratched her nails up his back, making him squirm and blush furiously. He reluctantly let go of Frankie and she smiled at him, giving him an impish shrug before she turned towards the apartment to go talk to Tess. He turned back to his task, and luckily it was all cleaned nicely so he didn't need to get anymore water. He took the towel he'd brought out with him and started the process of drying it off. When he was done with the body, he sat on the bike again while cleaning the handlebars and speedometer. Once again he found himself lost in his thoughts, his mind drifted to his day of shopping for new clothes with the girls who were all like family to Frankie. They were wonderful people, and he chuckled to himself as he thought of everything that happened that day and all the things they'd told him about Frankie.

He also wondered what the situation with the hidden messages in those songs were. He knew that all four of them had a different way of listening to a song, but the only conclusion he could draw from it, was that the girls sang a song to try and get Frankie to realize that it was time to let go of her past and all the pain she had suffered. Frankie's song on the other hand, Alistair thought he knew exactly what she was trying to say with it. He had spent the last couple of months with her and that is one thing he knew very well. Frankie sang what she felt, she sang with her heart. She was clearly trying to tell them how much she loved them and how important they were to her, they were her family, the ones who were always there for her, whether she needed them or not. They were always together.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't even realized Frankie had come outside again and she was sitting on the stairs smiling at him. As he saw her, he couldn't help but blush a little, for surely she thought he looked like a little boy who had discovered a new toy. He put the kickstand up and got off the bike, walked over to her and saw she had her laptop open and on her lap. She looked so beautiful as she was sitting there, almost looking like a little girl herself, a little girl with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"You really do love that bike, huh?" She asked with an amused expression.

"You know I love your bike, whether I take you for a 'spin', you take me for one or even just sitting on it," Alistair said with a hopeful expression.

"Oh, I see, looks like someone is hinting at taking a ride again today," Frankie said teasingly.

"Is it that easy to see right through me? I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Alistair said chuckling.

Frankie broke out into a peal of laughter. "You know, I still can't get used to hearing you say things like that. But in answer to your hint, yes, we can go for a ride today. I was planning on doing something and I need you to come with me for it."

"Really, what were you planning?" Alistair asked, curious.

"Well, I can't tell you because it's a surprise, but you will find out soon enough, I promise." She smiled coyly at him before she continued. "Come and sit with me while I send some email, and then we can do some online browsing so that you can get a hint at what we are going to do today."

Although Alistair tried his best, he could not hide the goofy smile that seemed to be stuck to his face. Feeling brave, he decided to sit on the step right above her with his legs stretched out on either side of her, so that he could sit as close as possible. Pleased that she didn't move and seemed comfortable, he put his head on her shoulder as he watched what she was doing. She tucked her hair over her right shoulder to prevent any stray hairs from getting in the way of him seeing the screen. She leaned back a touch and smiled, blushing a little as she pretended to concentrate on the task in front of her.

"So, how are the girls doing?" Alistair asked.

"Taken a liking to them, have you?" She replied with a roguish grin. "They are doing well thanks, everything is sorted for tonight and we are going to a nightclub called Touch. Louise will pick us up about ten. Bella called in a favor so we don't have to stand in line to get in."

"I'm really looking forward to it and to seeing all of them again, but I must admit, I can't dance to save my life, apart from the Remigold that is," Alistair said.

"Well, dancing is easy enough to do, unless I stick you in a dress to do it," Frankie chuckled.

"Oh, ha ha. I can assure you Milady that were we in Ferelden, I'd be the one sticking you in a dress." Alistair said with a mischievous smile.

"I'd like to see you try, you know I hate dresses," Frankie replied.

"That is one of the reasons why I'm so adamant to get you in one," Alistair said as he saw Frankie blush and try to hide her face. "Are you planning on falling asleep on my shoulder again when we get back from the club, because if you are, I just have to remember to get a towel, you sure do drool a lot. In between the cute little snores, that is," Alistair teased.

"I do not drool, or snore for that matter, cute or any other way," Frankie laughed and shook her head.

They sat smiling and chuckling at each other as Alistair watched her do a search for motorbikes, he saw she was looking for bikes that were, as far as he knew at least, much cheaper than the one she had.

"Why are you looking at bikes that aren't as good as your own?" Alistair asked.

"Because I'm selling mine today and buying two other bikes, Mister Curiosity," Frankie turned slightly and looked at him as she continued, "I want to buy one for each of us, but we will need to find a way to get you some identification and a license before you can drive yours around freely, without being illegal or worrying that you might be pulled over by any of my uniformed friends."

"What? No! I don't want you to sell your bike, or buy me one. As much as I appreciate it and love the fact that you were even thinking of doing it, I can't. I want to work for my own bike. You know I have been saving up everything I could while I'm working for Tess. I want to earn the money to buy my own. Please don't spend your money or sell your bike just to get me one." Alistair protested.

"But I want to do it, and besides, I have been dreaming of buying a new bike for ages. Carrie, one of my friends down at the station, offered to buy mine, so I will have enough cash to buy two."

"If you really want to buy a new bike then great, but don't buy one for me. Buy a better one for yourself instead." Alistair looked thoughtful for a moment before he continued, "In fact, there is something I want to show you, so give me a few minutes to take a shower then we can go, if that's okay with you?"

Frankie agreed, curious as to what he had in mind. Alistair got up quickly and went and took a quick shower, dressing in a fresh set of clothes. He got outside to find that Frankie was already waiting for him with helmets in hand and a goofy grin on her face. Her smile turned into a concerned look when he told her that he would be driving and he didn't care if they were pulled over. She could tell he was determined and she was now very curious about what he wanted to show her. They got on the bike and Alistair was surprised by how well he remembered how to get to that particular bike shop. He didn't get lost... or lose his pants. When they got to the shop, Alistair hurried Frankie inside, unable to hide his enthusiasm. He showed her a motorbike that he knew was the one she dreamed of having. It was a black superbike that they had looked at countless times in the past and he knew that it would be the one she truly wanted.

"Alistair, this is a Ducati 1098, I can't possibly buy this, although I would love to. Please, I wanna buy one for you, so let's go to the other bike shop that we saw on the web. I can..." Frankie started to say before he interrupted.

"No, you are not buying me a bike and that's final. But you do have enough to buy this one and I know that you've been drooling over it for a while now, so buy it," Alistair said with a smile.

"You know me very well, it seems." She sighed and shook her head, knowing when she was beaten, "Okay, I'll buy it and thank you," Frankie said as she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

It made him very happy to see her so excited while talking to the sales clerk and getting all sorts of paperwork filled out and signed. She could barely contain her excitement and that alone filled his heart with joy. She got the keys to her new bike and grinned wickedly at him.

"So what do we do now, we have two bikes and two drivers, one without a license. You know that we can easily get locked up for that, well not me, but you, definitely."

"I'll just have to make sure they can't catch me then won't I?" Alistair said with his own grin now playing on his lips.

"Here, you take the Ducati and I'll drive my old Aprillia one last time before Carrie comes to pick it up. Consider it as a tiny start to the big thank you I owe you, for bringing me here today and making me see sense in buying the bike of my dreams." Frankie hugged him and then handed him the keys.

"No, I can't do that. You just bought it, you should be the first one to drive it," Alistair protested as Frankie put her finger over his lips to silence him.

"Yes, you can. And I want you to. Do it for me, please."

"Ok, how about I meet you halfway. I'll drive the Ducati till we pass Central Park, and we can stop for an ice-cream or two. From there, you drive the Ducati and I'll drive the Aprillia till we get home. Will that work better?" Alistair countered.

Frankie agreed and they took off, riding side by side. He loved being able to drive a bike on his own again, although deep down, he was wishing that Frankie was on the back of the bike holding onto him. He loved the way she put her head down on his shoulder as they were riding and driving on his own now, he missed it.

They stopped at Central Park and had an Ice-cream while sitting on their favorite bench under a large oak tree. Smiling and talking about all sorts of things. Alistair enjoyed talking to Frankie, she had a very easy and laid back demeanor. He could talk to her about anything, well anything except the feelings he had for her. He loved her, totally and completely, but still didn't know how to tell her. He hoped that with the time they had spent together so far, she could see that he would never do anything to hurt her and that he genuinely cared about her.

After they were finished with their ice-creams and funny conversation, they swapped keys and Alistair could see the excitement in Frankie's eyes as she got onto her new bike. They took off once again, with Alistair following closely behind Frankie, and riding alongside her wherever possible until they got home.

As they got home, they both realized what time it was. Tess would be at the Bistro, so if they wanted to eat, they either had to make something at home or go over to the Bistro to grab some dinner before getting ready to go to the club. Frankie felt like celebrating, so she asked Alistair if he felt like going out to dinner at a nearby restaurant. He readily agreed and they took off once again. They had a quiet dinner where Alistair got his first official taste of a New York steak. Frankie liked seeing him enjoy himself and how excited he got over new tastes. Their conversation was easy, funny and flirty, which made Frankie giggle. After their relaxing dinner, they headed back home as Carrie would be picking up the bike soon.

As Frankie parked her precious new Ducati, Alistair saw a woman standing on the stairs of the apartment waving at Frankie. Frankie walked over to her and he followed closely behind.

"Hey, C, how are you doing, have you been waiting here long?" Frankie asked the woman.

"Hey Russo, I'm doing great, especially because I'm collecting my new bike, and no, I just got here." The woman replied looking at Alistair with a smile on her face before she asked, "Hey, who's the hot hunk?"

"Oh, sorry... manners again! Carrie, I would like you to meet Alistair, and Alistair, this is Carrie. We work together down at the station." Frankie said.

"Pleasure to meet you Alistair, waaait a minute... Alistair... This is THE Alistair?" Carrie asked.

Alistair started to ask what she meant when Frankie interrupted. "Yes, this is the Alistair I told you about, and thank you so much for that by the way," she said as he saw her beautiful blush once again.

"Yep, that's me, Alistair, the knight in a tin can who got completely enthralled by the T.V's in Best Buy," Alistair admitted with a playful smile of his own.

Carrie just grinned back at him, "Good to know."

All three of them laughed about the whole situation. Alistair wondered what Frankie had been saying about him, he hoped that it was all good things. From what he could tell, it was. Frankie gave Carrie the keys to the Aprillia and while Alistair was very sad to see it go, he was happy that Frankie finally had the bike of her dreams. As they watched Carrie drive away, Frankie turned to face him and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him enthusiastically as she whispered, "Thank you so much, today was the best day ever, and it's all thanks to you."

He pulled back slightly so he could stare into her eyes for a moment. Without another thought he brought his lips gently down on hers. The taste of her lips, the warmth of her body and the smell of her lavender perfume, inundated his senses. She hesitantly kissed him back, and he felt his entire body react to her, driving him insane with desire for her. He loved having her so close, and knew that he was totally and completely in love with her. He felt her pull away and he let her go, not wanting to scare her. While she repeated apologies, he watched her run up the stairs and into the apartment.

As he stood there waiting for his body to calm, he tried to decide whether or not he should go after her, make sure she was OK. He wondered how long it would take to finally win her heart. Everything that had happened between them so far told him that she did like him, but what else did he need to do, to prove that he would never leave her. _Maybe that's it, maybe she's afraid that I might leave. _Alistair let out a sigh and decided to give her some space, he knew that if he went after her now, it might end up in a fight and that was the last thing he wanted. He knew that he would get the chance to talk to her about it later. He sighed and headed inside to change.

**xxXxx**

Frankie ran to her bedroom and slammed the door behind her, as she started pacing the room. _What the hell is wrong with you? You're getting too close to him, your feelings are once again clouding your judgment. He'll leave soon and you will be here alone, again. You are a fool if you believe that he will be here forever. You are just setting yourself up to get hurt all over again. _She tried to block out that hateful inner voice and huffed in frustration, flopping down on her bed. She knew she was already in love with Alistair, she had been for quite some time, but she also knew that love only led to heartache and loneliness, and she was not going to let herself walk that path again. _But that __kiss... It was so good and so hot, I just wanted it to last forever._ She argued with herself and the risk of pain won out. No, she would be his friend and that's all. Just his friend.

Frankie got up, walked over to her closet and pulled out her favorite pair of black jeans and a sleeveless black top that fit her like a second skin. She got dressed and sat down in front of her mirror, applied some light make-up and tried to get her hair looking halfway decent. She wondered what Alistair was thinking. He probably thought it was all his fault, which she knew was the furthest thing from the truth. She didn't want him to feel guilty about the fact that she was so afraid to commit. She had to tell him that she was sorry and that it was her fault. She grabbed her strappy heels and opened her door only to find Alistair standing right outside it.

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright, and apol... " He started to say before she stopped him again.

"No, Alistair, don't apologize. You did nothing wrong. It's all me, all my own insecurities playing tricks with my feelings again and it's not fair of me to treat you this way. I truly am sorry and I will try my utmost to make it up to you." She said while trying not to break down in front of him.

"You can't help the things you feel Frankie, you've had a tough life and you can't keep blaming yourself for what's happened," Alistair said as he put his hands on her shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. "So let's just leave it for now. We can talk about it all if you want to, later tonight. I would love to sit down with you now, but Louise is here to pick us up. She said since she is the designated driver tonight and still needs to go and collect Bella and Sallie can we move our cute bums... her words! That is, if you still feel like going out tonight?"

Frankie simply nodded, and followed Alistair down the hall towards the living room. Frankie greeted Louise with a hug and Alistair kissed her on the cheek. Frankie could see that Lou knew something was up, and she had that look in her eye that meant she would get it out of her later. She was just glad Lou hadn't immediately pulled her to one side to inquire what the problem was. Frankie sat and pulled on her heels, buckling the straps. She took the time to gaze at Alistair as she did, thinking he looked gorgeous tonight. He was wearing a cream button down shirt, top few buttons left undone and he'd rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and for some reason she found that hot. The shirt was tucked into well fitting black pants and the whole outfit showed off his superb physique to perfection. She had to smile to herself as she saw he'd kept his favorite black boots on, his purely 'Alistair' touch. She stood up and slapped on her best smile and declared that she was ready to go.

They picked up Bella and Sallie, all three girls immediately launched into lively chatter that lasted for most of the trip, Frankie let them carry the conversation and remained mostly quiet as she was lost in her thoughts. She noticed that Alistair kept looking at her and then over to each of the girls. There was a bit of awkwardness between her and Alistair, but she was determined to make the best of the situation and try to get herself together. Bella was in the middle of talking about her boyfriend's latest escapade at a game and Alistair looked a bit confused and asked what her boyfriend did.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't think you might not know. I told you about Tristen while shopping but didn't think... He's an Ice hockey player for the New York Rangers, have you seen that on TV?" Bella said.

Alistair laughed "The guys on skates that like to fight a lot while pretending to knock a piece of plastic around the ice?" he teased. Bella laughed and confirmed it.

"That's pretty cool. I'd never seen anyone skate on ice before, let alone know how to make it specially to do that. The fighting is kind of fun too, maybe we could go to a game?" he said, looking at Frankie questioningly.

"Hot guys fighting? I'm in!" Sal piped up which set them all off laughing. Frankie found her mood getting lighter and she smiled reassuringly at Alistair who returned it, visibly relaxing.

Once they were in the club, Frankie loosened up a little more. She had a glass of wine and smiled as she saw Alistair looking in astonishment at all the girls dancing on the platforms in the club.

Feeling braver, she teased, "I doubt they let men dance on the platforms, but I bet you could get one of those girls to dance with you if you really wanted."

"What? no! I don't want to dance with any of them. You know I can't dance anyway, I was just err... observing the differences in the ways that each of them dance. That's all," Alistair said with a sheepish grin.

All the girls started laughing as Sallie said. "Yeah, right. Was it the different ways in which they shake their asses or just the way they are almost falling out of their clothes?"

"I'm with Alistair on that one," Louise said admiringly then grinned up at the tall man.

"Mmm, now there's a question." Bella grinned as Alistair started looking for anything else that could divert his attention. "Tell me Ali, when you look at a girl, what is the first thing you notice about her?"

"What... umm... What do you mean?" Alistair asked, and Frankie could see that he was getting a bit uncomfortable. Before she or Louise could step in, Sallie had a wicked grin.

"Oh, what she means is, what do you look at first when you see a girl, boobs or ass? With most men we've come across it's usually boobs." Sallie looked at him slyly for a few seconds before she asked, "Or is our Ali still a virgin?"

"MAKER, NO!" Alistair replied quickly then muttered "Finally, someone asks me that and I can say no!"

A fit of laughter greeted his reply and he smiled, a blush coloring his cheeks.

Frankie got up to go order another round of drinks while the others amused themselves by seeing just how much more they could make Alistair blush. He seemed to take it in good part and laughed often. She looked back at them and saw that all were taking turns looking at her. She wondered what they were up to this time. Hopefully none of them would dare her to do something drastic or embarrassing again.

Frankie walked back over to the table after completing their drinks order. She saw Bella leading Alistair onto the dance floor, and smiled at the thought that if there was one person who could get Alistair to dance, it was Bella.

While sitting down at the table with Sal and Louise, Frankie listened closely to the song that was playing as she heard Lou say. "This should be good."

_There's a place downtown where the freaks all come around_  
_It's a hole in the wall, it's a dirty free for all_

_When the dark of the night_  
_Comes around that's the time_  
_That the animal comes alive_  
_Looking for something wild_

Frankie couldn't help but feel a spark of jealousy as she watched Alistair and Bella dance. A dance that had started out innocent enough, quickly escalated into something not quite so innocent. She watched as Bella skillfully showed Alistair how to move in time with the music, showed him how to move his hips in time with hers.

_There's a place I know if you're looking for a show_  
_Where they go hardcore and there's glitter on the floor_  
_And they turn me on, when they take it off_  
_When they take it off, everybody take it off_

She saw Bella put her hands on Alistair's hips as she began to move in time with the rhythm of the song. Bella moved from side to side and Frankie could see the grin spread across Alistair's face as he tried to keep up with her movements. Frankie felt her jealousy flaring as Bella turned and pressed her back into Alistair, putting his hands on her hips so he could feel how she moved. Try as she might, Frankie couldn't take her eyes off them. _What's wrong with me, this is Bella, my oldest friend, she would never do something like this, especially not when she has Tristen. I must be going batty. WHY am I getting jealous, I have no claim over him and he can dance with whomever he wants right? But __**WOW**__, is it really necessary for them to rub up against each other like that? _

_Lose your mind, lose it now_  
_Lose your clothes in the crowd_  
_We're delirious, tear it down_  
_'Til the sun comes back around_

Frankie got pulled out of her thoughts as she heard Sallie say. "Look at that butt monkey, he really seems to enjoy Isa's ass pressed against his groin."

Frankie felt her temper rising as the grinding continued on the dance floor. She couldn't figure out exactly what Alistair was feeling, well apart from her best friend rubbing up against him, he had a mixture of both embarrassment and enjoyment on his face. Frankie kept her eyes on them as she heard Sallie continue, "Did you see the size of his feet? Makes ya wonder how 'much' she is enjoying that dance?"

_Now we're getting so smashed, knocking over trash cans_  
_E'erbody breaking bottles it's a filthy hot mess_  
_Gonna get fucked, I'm not the designated driver_  
_So I don't give a, I don't give a, I don't give a_

"Look at the grin on that smut monkey's face. I'm saying at least 10 inches of enjoyment." Sallie said as she took another sip of her wine as Louise tried to shush her, "What? What did I say?"

Frankie couldn't take it anymore. She jumped up from the table and stormed onto the dance floor with all hell's fury trailing behind her, she pulled Alistair and Bella apart as she looked her friend in the eyes. "What the fuck are you doing? Are you trying to act like the world's biggest ho?" Frankie fumed then rounded on Alistair and continued, "And you! You seem to be enjoying yourself _far _too much."

Alistair started stammering in the face of her tirade, trying to find the right words. "No... no, you have it all wrong Frankie, this isn't what it looks like. We were just dancing."

"Don't even try that line with me, it won't work. You know as well as I do that, _that _was no ordinary dance. So if you don't want me then just say so, don't make out as if you're interested one minute and rub up against my best friend the next."

"Aaaand that's my cue to enter this _lovely_ conversation." Bella interrupted, controlled anger in her tone. "I was teaching Alistair to dance for heaven's sake. Do you really think I would have done something like this just to upset you? For the sheer enjoyment of it? No I wouldn't, and you know it. Besides which, the man obviously loves you, can't you see that, it's written all over his face."

"All I could see written across his face was a large grin while you were dancing so closely against him." Frankie looked at them both for a second then threw her hands up before saying, "You know what, I don't care. I don't even know why I came over here in the first place."

Bella grabbed her hand and dragged both Frankie and Alistair from the dance floor, where they could talk without having to shout over the music.

"I know exactly why you came over here, you got jealous. And why did you get jealous? I'll tell you why. It's because you have feelings for him too, but you're just too blind or too scared to see it." Bella countered.

"No, I don't have feelings for him. I love him as a friend, that's all," Frankie argued, getting pissed at her friend for pressing this issue.

Alistair tried to get a word in but both women turned and glared and he subsided with his hands held up in surrender and a silent "Wow!"

"No of course you don't have feelings for the man," Bella said, sarcasm dripping from her tone, "Please, wake up and smell the coffee, Frankie." Bella looked thoughtfully at Frankie and pulled her closer, "You know you love him too, so stop being afraid of it and just admit it."

Frankie wanted to protest but deep down, she knew that what Bella was telling her was the truth, and it was only her fear of getting hurt that was stopping her.

She was about to start talking when Bella whispered in her ear, "Frankie, loving someone can cost a lot but not allowing yourself to love someone will always cost you more. If you allow the fear to love to dictate your actions then you will find that wanting to love but not being able to, is an emptiness that will rob the joy from your life."

Frankie felt like she had been doused in cold water as Bella's words woke her up. She pulled her friend into a hug as she whispered back, "I realize that now, and thank you, I really do appreciate everything you do for me, even if you use unconventional means to do it."

"I'm the Queen of Unconventional," Bella beamed at her, before winking at Alistair and turning on her heels, strolling back to the table with a wicked grin on her face.

Frankie turned to face Alistair unsure what to say. He just took her hand and pulled her back onto the dancefloor and into his arms as the next song started to play, and said in her ear, "Bella is right, it's time for both of us to face our feelings for each other."

_I can feel her on my skin_  
_I can taste her on my tongue_  
_Shes the sweetest taste of sin_  
_The more I get the more I want_  
_She wants to own me_  
_Come closer_  
_She says 'come closer'_

Pulling her as close as he could while dancing with her, he looked into her eyes, their faces inches apart from each other. "I do have feelings for you, and I would never do anything to hurt you. Give me the chance to prove it. I know you might not be ready to tell me how you feel yet, and deep down I already know, so you don't have to say anything tonight or any night until you're ready. Just promise me you won't shut me out."

_And I just can't pull myself away_  
_Under her spell I can't break_  
_I just cant stop_  
_I just cant stop_  
_I just cant stop_  
_I just cant stop_

Frankie couldn't fight back the tears that flowed freely down her cheeks and she nodded and simply said, "I promise." Alistair wiped the tears from her cheeks and cupped her chin in his hand, raising her face to meet his lips once more. She got lost in that kiss, the world spinning madly around her. She felt so many mixed emotions, relief, confusion and fear all at the same time, but reigning dominant was desire. She refused to let go of him. She'd finally found a man to fight for, a man worth keeping and one that would always stand by her.

_And I just can't bring myself away_  
_But I don't want to escape_  
_I just can't stop_  
_I just can't stop_  
_I just can't stop_  
_I just can't stop_

Reluctantly they released their hold on each other and breaking their kiss, Frankie and Alistair walked back to the table hand in hand. They grinned sheepishly as the 'whoops' and whistles erupted from her friends and Louise joyfully saying. "Oh, finally! I thought it would take a miracle to get you two together. Drastic measures like me having to kiss him!" she said with a comic little shudder.

Frankie laughed, looked at Alistair and said. "No, not a miracle, just some smutty monkeys and an unconventional Queen." She walked around the table giving each of them a hug and thanking them for everything before trying to take a seat. She squeaked as Alistair quickly pulled her onto his lap. "Oh, no you don't, your place is right here for the rest of the evening." She gave in and relaxed against him, enjoying the contact for the first time without so many fears crowding her.

They enjoyed the rest of the evening, drinking merrily except for Louise. She was the designated driver for the evening as she confessed to Alistair that she couldn't handle more than a couple of drinks. They all danced, with Alistair and each other although there were no more sexy dances for Alistair except with Frankie.

A few hours later, they exited the club and headed for Louise's car. Once they started the drive home, Louise switched the radio on and none of the girls could contain their joy when Katy Perry's E.T started blaring through the speakers. They all joined together in a sing-a-long, while Alistair laughed and enjoyed their performance, occasionally ducking as they danced in the car, waving their hands as they sang.

"_Your from a whole other world_  
_A different dimension_  
_You open my eyes_  
_And I'm ready to go_  
_Lead me into the light_  
_Kiss me, ki-ki-kiss me_  
_Infect me with your love and_  
_Fill me with your poison_

_Take me, ta-ta-take me_  
_Wanna be a victim_  
_Ready for abduction"_

Frankie held on tightly to Alistair as they sat in the back seat. She held on for more than just her need to be as close to him as possible... she wanted him, she wanted to be his and only his. She pressed and melded her body as closely to his as she could and reveled in the feeling of having him hold her tighter, so close together. She had been fighting her emotions for the last three months, convincing herself that it was just her loneliness catching her off-guard. She even thought that maybe it was because she had been in love with a fictional game character for the last year and a half, but that was not the case at all. She loved _him_ and him alone. It had taken her friends to finally make her admit it, although she had not yet had the guts to tell him.

Thankfully, they got home without _too_ many smutty comments from Sallie, who was sitting in the back seat with them. Louise was dropping them off first thankfully and she pulled up at the brownstone. Frankie and Alistair got out of the car and bade the girls a good night before they started walking towards the apartment hand in hand. She couldn't stop staring at him, not paying any attention to where she was walking. It took every ounce of her will not to throw herself at him right there on the stairs.

As they closed the door to the apartment behind them, they turned to each other and just stared, heat and desire in their eyes. Frankie made a little noise in her throat and jumped into his welcoming arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, her mouth hungrily claiming his. He supported her with his hands on her hips, holding her as close as he possibly could. Her tongue played on his bottom lip silently begging him for entry and he eagerly accepted, kissing her back just as passionately. Their tongues danced like two tornadoes trying to join each other as her whole body began to tremble. She felt like she was melting into him.

She broke the kiss for a brief second and leaned back in his arms. She looked straight into his eyes and asked him, "Do you really want me?"

Alistair looked at her, attempting to regain his breath before answering. "Oh Maker above, YES! I have wanted you since the first night I saw you, I have never wanted anything else, more than I want you."

"Then take me."

Without another word, their lips joined once more. Stumbling, knocking over potted plants and walking into furniture, Alistair moved towards her room with Frankie in his arms. He closed the door behind them with his foot and swiftly moved over to her bed not releasing his hold, and refusing to stop kissing her. They fell onto the bed and she let out a sigh of relief that she finally had Alistair so close to her. Her whole body quaked and a spine tingling feeling rushed through her while she ran her fingers through his hair.

He stared deeply into her eyes as if silently begging her for permission to continue. "Before we go any further, I want you to know that I love you. I love you so much that it physically hurts not being near you. I want to be with you forever."

Frankie's smile was full of joy as she could finally say what was in her heart, "I love you too. You have been so patient with me and I am grateful to you for that, but it's time that you know how I feel. I want you. I need you, I can't live without you. I love you, Alistair. Lord help me, I love you."

"You have no idea how long I've been wanting to tell you how I feel about you," Alistair whispered.

"Oh, I think I do. I have felt this way about you for quite some time too. Make love to me, Alistair. I want you and I need all of you. I want to be one with you."

Wordlessly, Alistair got up, kicked off his boots. She watched as he removed his shirt and pants, dropping them to the floor, only leaving his underwear on with his now large and throbbing length firmly pressing against the fabric. She stared at his beautiful body and the sight of his chiseled chest, muscular arms and toned legs took her breath away. He positioned himself over her again, their mouths meeting once more, their tongues dancing in time together invigorating both their bodies and their senses. Frankie lifted herself up to give him a better opportunity to help her get out of her clothes.

He broke the kiss so he could remove her top. His fingers lingered on her skin as he made his way down to her jeans. Making quick work of the button and zip holding the pants in place, he pulled them off completely in a quick motion and threw them over his shoulder. She watched as his eyes drank in every inch of her delicious body.

He kissed her neck and moved his mouth, feathering soft kisses on her collarbone. He kissed her softly all the way down her stomach and back up to her neck, seeking her mouth again. She let out a soft moan as his fingers cautiously wandered over her breasts. She undid her bra strap very nimbly to grant him better access, as a blistering heat rushed from her stomach all the way down. Not being able to control her need for him, she flipped them over, moving to one side as she quickly removed his very confining underwear.

Frankie settled herself over him with only her panties now separating them. She lowered her lips to his ear, lightly nibbling on the lobe, as a guttural moan escaped Alistair's lips. She worked her way down his neck all the way to his chiseled chest, taking his nipple into her mouth and sucking on it slightly. Pressing her breasts against him as closely as she could, she kissed her way to his other nipple causing another groan from him as he grabbed her around her waist, his throbbing member now aching for release.

She pulled him upright while making small movements with her hips to excite him further. Alistair's hands firmly pulled her up his body, so his mouth could close in on her chest. He teased her nipples with his hands, kissed, licked and nibbled on both on her gorgeous breasts, causing her to gasp in ecstasy. "Now, Please!... Now, Alistair...

Alistair flipped her on her back again and removed her panties urgently. He positioned himself at her hot and very wet entrance, causing her to shudder in anticipation before he entered her swiftly. She moaned as his mouth claimed hers again, pushing himself all the way into her as she writhed under him. At first Alistair set a slow, smoldering pace as they clung to each other, staring into one another eyes, but as the heat between them grew the pace quickened and she could feel herself moving closer to the edge.

She wrapped her legs around his waist to take him in deeper, gasping and moaning in her fragile state. She was almost at her peak when she felt his hand moving from her breast, down to her soft curls, sending a trail of fire on her skin as his hand moved. Flicking his fingers over her clit as he drove into her, sent her right over the edge, her walls contracting around him and milking his length completely, sending him into his own orgasm as he spilled his seed into her. They both shuddered in each others arms and they tried to catch their breaths, still reveling in the feeling of being one.

A while later, Alistair moved off her and pulled her close to him. Frankie laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart beating as he kissed the top of her head. She lifted her head for a brief second to look into his eyes as she asked, "Will you still love me tomorrow?" He kissed her softly before saying, "I will love you forever."

Frankie settled her head back on Alistair's chest and fell asleep minutes later. Blissfully happy at the thought of being his forever.

* * *

Songs in this chapter: Kesha - Take it off.  
Ne-Yo - Closer  
Katy Perry - E.T

Thanks a _BILLION_ to my spanktastically awesome friend** Isabella Monroe** for providing these awesome songs and for her _EXCELLENT_ taste in music.. **YOU ROCK!**

* * *

**Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

_A Spectacular thanks to my awesome friends and betas __**RandomWittering**_ _& __**Isabella Monroe**__. I am extremely grateful to have you both in my life. You mean more to me than...mmm...that will be a long list, which will make this A/N longer than the chapter, so I'll just say...You mean more to me than words can possibly say. Also, thanks to you Isabella, for keeping me on the straight and narrow while I was writing this and for providing me with some wise words and brilliant ideas that were awesomely crafted from that brilliant mind of yours, And to Random for swooping in and making sure that all my ramblings made sense, your awesome writing and editing skills impress the Holy Maker out of me on a daily basis. Thanks for making sure that I don't __freak out and do something drastic that only a minx like me is bound to do. And telling me to shut-up and go to bed. ;-) Without the two of you, life would be unbearable. So thank you, huge hugs and kisses, love ya lots._

A hug and thank you berry berry much to **Bonkzy**, for guest beta'ing for me on this chapter, you are without a doubt, the sweetest of sweet-tarts I know. ;-)

HUGE Hugs to **Warrose, CCBug, Megglesnake, Kira Tamarion** and **Lisa.**

**;-D**

* * *

**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers and readers. You all make me jump for joy on a daily basis, doing all kinds of flirty things, dreaming up new and funky situations to throw Frankie and Alistair in and all sorts of other smutty and funny things, just to display my endless happiness. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on their favorite author list, the story on their favs, and alerts. You all rock._

_Sorry for this short chapter in comparison to my other, sometimes HUGE ones. But you gotta gimme a break sometime, right? -)_

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**BioWare owns Ali...**

**Chapter 8**

It was a night that neither of them would easily forget, at least that's the way he saw it, and he hoped she did too. Alistair mused to himself as he was laying in bed with Frankie still fast asleep in his arms. He smiled sleepily as he thought of their amazing night together. They'd finally admitted their feelings for each other, and then proceeded to have several rounds of a _very_ good time. First, it was Frankie waking him up from a satiated doze, by running her hands over his chiseled chest and feathering soft kisses on his neck. Then he would rouse her as his hunger rose again, to be matched by her own. He was delighted to discover that Frankie was more than a little daring in the bedroom, she liked to wrestle for dominance. Always put a little fight into it, to see who gets to be on top. And best of all, she loved him. Hearing her say that made his heart soar to the heavens with happiness. As he laid there next to her, watching her sleep, he wondered if he could do something nice for her, just to make her feel special. She deserved to feel special, and he wanted to do everything he could to make sure she knew it. He thought about making her some breakfast. _Girls tend to like that, don't they? _He got up and pulled on some pants, kissed Frankie on the cheek and chuckled softly as he saw a smile on her face. He had to tear himself away to leave the room to go make something to eat.

As he entered the kitchen, Alistair's heart raced in fear as he found Tess, lying unconscious on the floor. He ran to her and was overwhelmed with relief to find she was breathing. He opened his mouth to shout for Frankie, when Tess stirred and his attention shot back to her. She opened her eyes and looked at him with a fuzzy but startled expression. "Ali'boy, what's going on here, what am I doing on the floor?"

"I don't know, are you okay, Tess? I came in to make some breakfast and found you lying there, are you okay?" Alistair asked with concern as he looked at her, "Let me get Frankie."

"No!" she cried and grabbed his hand, "I'm okay. It must be my old age catching up with me. Don't worry about it. I will be fine once I've sat down for a bit and had something to eat. I am just a little dizzy." Tess avoided looking at him as she spoke and Alistair knew she was hiding something.

"Tess, no, there's something wrong. I can tell as plain as the nose on your face! What aren't you telling me, what's really going on?" Alistair questioned.

"Don't be silly, Ali'boy. I am as fine as an old lady can be," Tess huffed as Alistair picked her up off the floor and placed her gently into a chair. He was quite shocked at how light she had become, he was sure she hadn't been quite that frail before.

"You're hiding something from me Tess. And I won't stop asking until you tell me, so you might as well come clean." Alistair said while trying not to sound too frantic and demanding.

"I think your imagination is playing tricks on you Ali'boy. I'm just tired, that's all," Tess expressed stubbornly.

"Please Tess, what is it? What's going on?" he asked as worry really started to set in as she continued to protest everything was fine.

"I told you Alistair, I am just tired. Now don't push me further, I am not in the mood to get pissed off with you today." Tess protested, an edge to her voice.

"But I found you passed out on the floor! That means there is something wrong. Let me get Frankie and we can get you to the doctor for a check-up. Please..." Alistair asked as he tried not to get angry at Tess for something that was clearly not her fault.

"Ali'boy, you've passed out twice now and you are fine! So no, you are not going to tell Frankie and you are not taking me to the doctor. Just think about it for a minute, she has just managed to find a little piece of happiness after her lifetime of sorrow. I don't want her going back to being the broody and unhappy Frankie that she was. Do you?"

Alistair reluctantly gave in, "No, of course I don't. But still, you need to tell her. Please don't wait too long before you do." Alistair rubbed the back of his neck as he usually did when he was nervous or uncomfortable. "I will remain quiet until then, but you have to promise me that you _will_ tell her. She has the right to know."

"Alright Ali'boy, I will tell her, just not right now. I want her to have as much happiness as she can get, I am fine, don't worry about me. It's just the old age creeping up on me," she sighed.

"You know I am not going to stop nagging until you tell her, I can be stubborn too, you know." Alistair said as he gave her a smile.

"Yes, I know. But I will always beat you in the stubborn department, so you can stop nagging before you even get started. If you are looking for fair competition, I suggest you turn your attention to Frankie, you'll have a better chance with her than you do with me," Tess looked at him for a moment before a sly grin crept on her face. "So, tell me. How's it going with you two?"

"What... uh... what do you mean?" Alistair asked as he tried to hide the blush that felt as if his face was catching on fire.

"You know very well what I mean, so don't try playing stupid with me." She laughed at him. "Did you really think I didn't see the furniture out of place, the potted plants that got knocked over... and let's not forget all the colorful noises that I heard coming from her room in the wee hours of the morning."

"Oh, that... uhm... Well you see, we came home from the club last night and discovered a burglar in the house. Frankie and I had a bit of a fight with him and then she placed him under arrest... and then... uhm... I slept in her room just to make sure she was safe for the rest of the evening." Alistair babbled lamely before Tess cut him off.

"Ahhh, my Ali'boy. You are an adorable but lousy liar. I know very well there was no burglar in the house last night, for the simple fact that if there were, Frankie would have woken me up afterwards. So I know that there was no one other than myself and the two of you in here, and if those noises were anything to go by, I'd say that you showed my girl a real good time." Tess said as she laughed and winked at Alistair.

"There is no fooling you is there? Alright, you caught me out. I was in her room last night, but I want to assure you that I love her. I wasn't just looking for a... what do they call it?... uhmm... a 'booty call'."

"Ha ha, well I never thought I'd hear you say that. But it's good to know that you weren't just looking for someone to pet your iguana." She giggled at him. "I am happy for you Ali, lord knows, you both deserve a little happiness." Tess looked at him sternly while still grinning at him. "But beware! If you ever hurt her, know that I will not be the only one to kick you in the jingle bells. I know of at least three other women and Frankie herself who will do a good job of removing your manhood... very skillfully, I might add."

"Hurting her is the last thing on earth I want to do to her, Tess, Frankie means everything to me, I will do all that I can to make and keep her happy. I will do right by her, I promise," Alistair responded sincerely. "If I ever even come close to the possibility of hurting her, I will personally bring you a knife to... get creative with." He did wince slightly as he finished that sentence, however.

"Good, I'm glad we understand each other then, and thank you, I haven't seen my girl this happy in ages," Tess said as Alistair just nodded and smiled sheepishly at her.

"Right umm, I'm going to make some breakfast, what would you like? Are you feeling up to eating something?" Alistair stammered desperate to change the direction of the conversation before his face turned a permanent shade of red.

"Yes, I am feeling much better now, thank you and I think it might be a good idea for me to help you. With all the funky thoughts that must be running through your mind right now, I would be to afraid to return to a burned down kitchen if I left now," Tess chuckled.

"Ok, then I guess we should get started... preferably before my face melts off from blushing?"

"Oh, now you're just spoiling this old lady's fun. I'm guessing you want to take our sweet girl some breakfast in bed," Tess sighed with a smile, "Let's see what we can whip up together shall we?"

Alistair helped Tess out of her chair and over to the kitchen counter and together they got everything they needed to make some bacon, scrambled eggs and toast. They had a peaceful conversation about Frankie and Alistair finally admitting their feelings for each other and how long it had taken them to finally admit it. She laughed at the sneaky plan that was once again formed around them by their friends and the fantastic display that Frankie made of showing everyone how jealous she could get and exactly how much she loved him. Tess was in tears of laughter as Alistair told her how Frankie had stormed onto the dancefloor and told Bella she was acting like a ho.

"Ha ha, I bet my adopted granddaughter got a kick out of that," Tess chuckled.

"Yes she did, as did Louise and Sallie. I am still amazed by their interactions with each other. One minute you think they are going to be dueling each other to the death, and the next minute they are hugging and thanking each other. It really was quite a sight to behold," Alistair said as he smiled back at the memory of the previous night.

"They have been that way for as long as I can remember. They are family and would do anything for each other." Tess said fondly.

"I can see that, and in all honesty. I wouldn't have it any other way." Alistair said as he smiled back at Tess.

After everything was prepared, Tess excused herself to go back to bed for a while, taking her breakfast with her. Alistair got everything onto a tray, making sure that it was all in place. He walked carefully to Frankie's room, still bothered by seeing Tess unconscious on the floor of the kitchen. Deep down he knew that he should tell Frankie, that it was unfair to keep something like that from her. She had the right to know, it was her grandmother and one of the most important people in her life. But on the other hand, Tess did have a valid point as well. Frankie had been through so much and she'd only found a little happiness recently, she'd started enjoying her life again and Alistair didn't want to do or say anything to ruin that for her nor did he want to see her unhappy. He was at a total loss as to what he should do. When he got to the room, he tried not to dwell on it and decided it was best to keep the promise that he made to Tess, at least for the time being. If she continued to refuse to tell Frankie anything, then he would. He drew a long shaky breath and opened the door to Frankie's room, while taking care not to drop the tray in his hand as he entered the room to awaken his sleeping beauty.

**xxXxx**

Frankie opened her eyes and stretched her hand out, but as she realized who she thought would be there wasn't, her smile faded. Alistair was not there. She felt panic welling up as she wondered where he might have gone. _Maybe he'd had second thoughts about them, did he feel it was too soon. Had she scared him off, why wasn't he there?_ All these thoughts ran through her mind as she slowly tried to wake up. She sat up in the bed, making sure that she covered herself with a sheet, trying to decide what to do. As she was about to get out of bed to locate her clothes, the door opened and Alistair walked in carrying a tray of food with a smile on his face. She smiled back at him as her stomach twisted in knots again. While she was so relieved that her worst nightmare hadn't happened, he was still there, she could see that his smile didn't quite reach his eyes and that made her worry.

"Morning sleeping beauty, you were so peaceful that I thought it might be a good idea to wake you up with some breakfast." Alistair said as he reached the bed and put the tray on the table beside it.

"Sleeping beauty? Where did that come from?" Frankie chuckled.

"What, am I not supposed to call you something sweet and adorable when I bring you some breakfast in bed? Tess gave me tons of cute little nicknames for you," Alistair looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing. "Mmmm... let's see. There was, Angel, Dearest, Kitten, Sleeping Beauty, Sweet Cheeks and Sweetheart. So I thought I'd call you a different one each morning until we find one that fits. If that's okay with you." He smiled and kissed her good morning.

She kissed him passionately before she looked him in eyes and said. "You can call me anything you want, just promise that you'll stay,"

He cupped her face in his hands as he replied, "Nothing on the Maker's earth can take me away from you, I meant every word I said last night. I love you, and will continue to love you, till the end of my days,"

"I love you too, and thanks for making breakfast, I'll promise to make as if I'm still asleep next time, if you promise to wake me up with one of your amazing kisses." she beamed at him.

"That sounds like a fine plan, I shall have to do it more often then." Alistair replied as he kissed her again.

They sat and ate breakfast while sneaking lingering glances at each other, smiling sheepishly and blushing. Frankie couldn't remember the last time she was this happy. She was in love again and reveling in the feeling of belonging. As she sat watching Alistair eat, she couldn't help but worry about what could happen in the future, she was happy and she knew he was too, but she couldn't suppress the feeling that something might drop onto their laps sometime in the future to separate them and drive them away from each other. She tried to shake herself from her negative thoughts. She shifted her focus onto the present and tried to only think of the love that she shared with Alistair. When all of a sudden the thought struck her that they hadn't used any protection at all, the previous night.

A shocked expression crossed Frankie's face as she said, "Uhh Alistair, I might have been a _little _too drunk to remember, but did we use any protection last night?"

"What do you mean? Protection from what? We weren't under attack or anything were we? Unless you're talking about the wonderful wrestling match we had." Alistair jested happily.

"I'm being serious, we didn't use any condoms and I am definitely not on the pill at the moment." Frankie mentally kicked herself, "How could I be so reckless."

"Sorry if I sound like an idiot to be asking this but... condoms... the pill... What exactly have I missed?" Alistair asked as a nervous expression crossed his face.

Frankie sighed as she gathered her courage and started telling Alistair everything he needed to know about condoms, the pill, STD's and all things regarding safe sex.

Alistair looked at her in utter shock, "You put... what on WHAT?"

"Oh boy, this is so much tougher to explain than I thought it would be." Frankie said as she shook her head. "Okay, I'll go to the pharmacy in a little while, get myself sorted out and pick some up while I'm there, we will _definitely_ be needing them in the future. Ohh, I might have to pick up some bananas as well, we'll be needing them too."

"Oookay I won't ask about that. I'm fairly sure I don't carry any of _those_ diseases, and I've only uh been with one other woman... And then there is the Grey Warden thing..."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. It's tough to reproduce due to the taint right? I just have to say it, we are in a very strange and very unique situation. I have no idea how we can go about doing research on it, if there is any available except for Dragon Age lore, but even that is... well... sort of fictional." Frankie saw the expression on Alistair's face, she threw herself into his arms and hugged him fervently as she continued. "Please don't get upset, I love you and I am with you through all of this. I am not going anywhere. You, my dashing Knight, are stuck with me."

Frankie felt Alistair hug her even tighter as he said. "I am so glad to hear you say that, for a moment there, I thought you might be having second thoughts about us."

"Can... can I ask you a question... a personal one?" Frankie asked hesitantly.

He raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "You can ask me anything," he replied.

"That first night, when you had that nightmare and kissed me... you called me Abby. Who was she?"

Alistair sighed and released her from the hug and took her hand, looking down at it.

"She was... everything, at one point," he said quietly.

Frankie stared at him as mixed feelings bubbled up inside her. He was so heartbroken and she thought it was so unfair that she'd started feeling jealous about his feelings towards Abby. After all, she was the one who had asked. Alistair squeezed her hand tightly, as if he knew what was going through her mind. She shook herself from her thoughts and asked him to continue. She wanted, and needed to hear this.

"Her name was Abigail Cousland, she was my fellow Grey Warden and the love of my life... at least, that's how I saw it at the time. She died while slaying the Archdemon, after I threw a fit at the Landsmeet and abandoned her. I am still struggling to forgive myself for my stupidity in that single act of selfishness," Alistair let out a sigh. "But she forgave me for it, and wants me to forgive myself."

"Umm, huh? Okay, I know about the redeemer ending in the game, but how did she forgive you if she died?" Frankie blurted out then went white in shock at what she'd just said and started to stammer apologies but Alistair shook his head and kissed her forehead.

"Do you remember that day, when I knocked myself out on the table in the living room?" Frankie just nodded as he continued, "Well, when I was unconscious, I went to the fade somehow, and that's where I saw her. We talked about everything that had happened and she told me there are things I have to..." He fell silent for a moment then continued softly, "She said I have to forgive myself because she had already forgiven me. She asked about you too actually," he said with a sad smile.

"Me? How does she even know about me?" Frankie asked curiously.

"Maker only knows, but she did. Talk about a surreal conversation."

"You can say that again, this is freaky beyond my comprehension."

"Freaky is becoming my middle name I think," he said with a half smile. "Is it too much?"

"Strange as it may sound, no not really," she replied. "I'll take as much freaky as you can throw at me, if it means I have you."

Alistair tilted her chin up with his hand and kissed her softly, then rested his forehead against hers.

"Having you is the only thing that makes any sense out of it, Frankie."

Frankie's laptop beeped indicating new mail had arrived and she ignored it to kiss Alistair thoroughly.

"If you want to get some of those, what did you call them? Condoms? Today, we had better stop," Alistair said with a teasing tone.

Frankie laughed and slipped away and quickly checked the message in case it was from one of the girls.

"Huh," she said with a frown.

"What is it?" Alistair asked in concern

"I think one of those minxes is playing a joke on us," she said.

"Why?"

"Because I just got an email from Flemeth."

* * *

**Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

A Very Huge and Spectacular Thanks to my awesome friends and beta's **RandomWittering **and **Isabella Monroe**. I really appreciate your awesome skills and endless patience with me. For always being ready to smack me when I'm being stupid. Or yelling at me to go to bed and get some sleep. You are amazing, and the bestest friends this smutty minx could ever ask for. Here are some cannoli's and a bunch of bananas for each of you. *smutty little grin* Thank you my nearest and absolute dearest. I love ya lots and you will always be my family.

A hug and thank you berry berry much to **Bonkzy**, I hope you enjoyed watching me ramble.

HUGE Hugs to **Warrose, CCBug, Megglesnake, Kira Tamarion and Arcturas B**

**;-D**

* * *

**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me on a daily basis. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on fav author, the story on favs, and alerts!_

_I am proud to announce that my little story has reached the 100th review mark recently, and it was claimed by none other than my spanktastic beta and all round fantastic friend, __**Isabella Monroe**__. Being the awesome person that she is, she asked me to give the guest spot to someone else. I could not pick one of you guys even if I tried, because I think you are all amazing friends, so I asked Isabella to pick one out of the group of reviewers. It was decided that the most detailed review would be the winner. So without further ado, I will proudly announce that the winner of that guest spot on WSMO is the one and only __**CCBug**__. Congrats CC, and I hope you like your doppelganger who will be appearing in this chapter and a few more...if I'm sneaky enough... (Let's hope I can keep making you giggle like a loon, not only in reviews, but also when reading about yourself.) __*****__wicked little grin__*****_

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**Chapter 9**

Alistair watched the shocked expression on Frankie's face as she stared at her computer screen then back at him. He was caught off guard by what she'd said and could see she was just as confused as he was.

"Flemeth... sending emails? Are you sure?" Alistair asked.

"Yeah, Flemeth," Frankie said with a nervous giggle. "It's for you actually, here's what she has to say: '_Idiot boy, you never did listen, you and Morrigan are more alike than you think in that regard. Your path has been laid out, it is up to you whether or not you will follow. The answers you seek are closer to home than you might think, so perhaps look beyond the end of your nose. Use the brains the Maker gave you. I know you are smarter than Morrigan gives you credit for, so please do me one small favor and prove me right. I just love putting that girl in her place. This is not my preferred way of communication it costs me more than I care to give, so let's not make a habit of making me come here'."_

"What's that supposed to mean, and why must she always call me 'Idiot boy'?" Alistair asked in frustration.

"I haven't got the foggiest, on both counts. I truly hope that it's just one of the girls trying to have some fun with us. I think I can find out without having to ask one of them, just in case it is them and they try to trick me again." Frankie said thoughtfully.

"Really? So you don't think it's really Flemeth?"

"Well, I don't know, but I can't possibly believe that it is the real Flemeth, I mean come on Alistair, that's impossible." Frankie said as she shook her head.

"Hellooo, impossible, sitting right here," Alistair waggled a hand at himself.

"Okay, good point, you got me on that one." Frankie sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "I think I should contact Angie. She'll be able to track the IP and tell us where the email originated from."

"Angie? Your friend on that community thingy?" Alistair questioned.

"Yip, Angie from CMDA. She's a computer whizz, she can tell you just about anything you want to know about technical stuff like this," Frankie explained.

"So what _is_ CMDA? You never did tell me," Alistair asked.

Frankie giggled and nervously ran her fingers through her hair again, as she replied. "Uhm... It stands for Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age."

"Really? That's a very interesting name, what do monkeys have to do with Dragon Age and what makes them cheeky?" he asked in confusion.

"That would be another tough one to explain, I can show you if you want to see. But I must warn you, they do love their Alistair _very _much." Frankie said as she started giggling.

Alistair laughed nervously, "_Their_ Alistair? I believe I'm just _your_ Alistair."

"They believe you are their Alistair, but I am very happy that you are in fact, just _my _Alistair." Frankie said as she crossed the room and sat down on his lap.

"Always," He replied as he brought his lips to hers and kissed her with all the fire and passion he had in him. He pulled her closer to him wrapping his arms around her and holding her as tightly as he could as their kiss intensified. She moaned softly before pulling away from him, breaking their kiss and leaving them both breathless.

"As much as I would love to stay and devour every inch of you right now, I have to get dressed and go to the pharmacy." She hugged Alistair tightly whispering seductively in his ear, "I am however, looking forward to folding myself like a pretzel around you later."

"A pretzel, really? That could get interesting." Alistair teased. He looked into her eyes, not releasing his hold on her. "I suppose I have to get up as well, Tess asked me to fix one of the chairs in the dining room, it's all wonky for some unknown 'wasn't us' reason," he said with a chuckle.

"Oh no, definitely wasn't us. Perish the thought." Frankie beamed at him with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Alistair kissed her once more before letting her get up and happily watched her scurry around the room, getting her clothes out of the closet, getting dressed and brushing her hair. As he sat there looking at the beautiful woman he called his own, he hoped that he would be blessed enough to wake up every morning with her in his arms, until the end of his days.

"What do you want to do about the email for now?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Uhm... let's leave it for now, at least till Angie can tell us more. I'll send her an email quickly with all the info she will need to track it," Frankie said as she walked over to her laptop and typed out a message.

A knock on the door made him jump off the bed in surprise. "Hey, lovebirds! Are you going to be nesting in there all day? I need to speak to both of you," Tess called through the door. "And make sure you're decent before opening this door, I don't want to have a heart attack from seeing you in your birthday suits."

"Coming." Both Alistair and Frankie called out in unison.

"Oh my soul, you're even talking together now? What's next? Sucking on spaghetti like those two dogs in that 'Lady and the Scamp' movie?" Tess chuckled in her reply.

Alistair was first to reach the door and opened it to a smiling Tess on the other side. "The 'scamp' is at your service, Tess. How was your nap, feeling better?" he replied, grinning at her.

"Feeling great Ali'boy," Tess replied with a glint in her eye. "The girl I interviewed the other day for a manager's position at the Bistro is here. I've decided to hire CC and..."

"Manager's position? What? Since when do you need a manager, Nonna? You've always said that you don't like other people mixing in your business, why would you change your mind now?" Frankie questioned.

"Hey, don't start your good cop, bad cop routine with me young lady. So I had a change of heart, decided that I could use an extra body to help me in the day to day running of the Bistro. I'm not a spring chicken anymore." Tess retorted.

Alistair watched silently as Frankie kept asking Tess what was going on, why she suddenly wanted help. He could see that Frankie was trying to figure out why her grandmother was acting so strangely, and he knew she would come up with the answer soon. He just hoped that Tess would tell her before she found out on her own. After several attempts, Frankie threw her hands up in frustration and Alistair could see the frustrated and hurt look in her eyes.

"Okay, fine Nonna, I'll stop nagging you. You are clearly not going to tell me. What did you want to talk to us about?" she asked.

"Thank you. I wanted to ask Ali'boy if he would mind taking CC to the Bistro and show her around the place, I would take her myself, but I have a few things to take care of first," Tess responded.

"Oh, I'm on my way out, I'll take her if you want me to, Nonna." Frankie readily offered.

"No, Cesca. I need you to stay here for a little while longer, there is something I need to talk to you about. Ali will take her, won't you m'boy?" Tess asked with her normal teasing grin.

"Yes, of course, Tess. If you can't do it, it would be my pleasure," Alistair said with a smile.

"Okay, thank you my sweet boy," she smiled and patted him on the cheek before she continued. "Meet us in the living room as soon as you're ready. Cesca, you come too, I want to introduce you to her as well, so move your butts before your dear old Nonna gets pissed." Tess turned on her heels and walked down the hallway, giggling loudly.

Alistair looked back at Frankie and saw that she was deep in thought. He could see she was very tense and had a worried frown on her face. He walked over and gathered her in his arms, as if silently trying to set her mind at ease.

She leaned into him for a few moments, hugging him tightly, before leaning back and staring into his eyes as she said softly. "We better get our butts moving, before she _does _get pissed and comes back to give us a hiding for being tardy."

"Are you sure you're okay? I know you well enough by now to see when something is bugging you. You know you can always talk to me if something is troubling you," Alistair said, brushing her cheek gently.

"Yes, I'm okay, and I will talk to you soon, I promise. I just need to sort it all out for myself first, try to make some sense out of what is going on with Nonna." She stepped back and composed herself, smiling gently at him.

Alistair grabbed his shirt off the bed, pulled it on and moved toward the mirror to make sure his hair wasn't all messed up. Happy with his appearance, he walked over and took Frankie's hand in his before leaving the room with her and heading towards the living room to meet CC.

They entered the living room and he stood next to Frankie as Tess introduced them both.

"Alistair, Cesca, I would like to introduce you to CC." She gestured to the young woman. "And, CC, this is Francesca, my granddaughter and Ali'boy, my knight in a tin can, although you would call him Alistair." Tess chuckled as she winked at him.

Alistair smiled and stuck out his hand to greet the woman in front of him but faltered when he saw her jaw had practically dropped to the floor as she stared at him.

"What... do I have something on my face?" Alistair asked and rubbed the corners of his mouth just in case he'd missed some crumbs that might have been stuck there.

"No, sorry, you have nothing on your face, It's just that... You just look very familiar to me. Have we met before?" she asked.

"I highly doubt it", he said humorously then groaned. "Let me guess, you play Dragon Age?"

"Yes, I do, I LOVE that game, I am totally addicted to it. But what does that have to do with you looking so... OH! That's impossible, you can't possibly be _that_ Alistair, can you?" she gaped at him with both shock and amusement in her voice.

Alistair looked at Frankie, his eyes silently begging her for help.

"Hard to believe, but yes, he is _that_ Alistair from the game, and no you can't have him," she grinned. "I know there are plenty of Ali fans out there, but too bad for them because he's taken,"

"Oh, my goodness! Are you Frankie Russo from CMDA by any chance?" CC asked, excitedly. "I remember seeing a message asking for help, I thought it was a joke!"

Alistair looked curiously at Frankie, waiting for her explanation and saw an incredible blush creep across her face as she replied sheepishly. "Yeah, that's me. Another one of the nutty fangirls." She looked deep in thought for a few moments before she asked. "Hey, wait a minute... CC... I remember your response to my message, you said I should strip search him and feed him cheese right?" she asked with an amused grin.

Alistair could see the same sheepish blush on CC's face and tried his best not to laugh at the scene that was playing out in front of him by these two chatty women as he ventured to respond. "S-strip search me and feed me cheese? Maker! What do you talk about on this message thingy?"

"Mostly you, sweet cheeks!" Frankie said joyfully.

Alistair gave her a long look and shook his head, "I'm not sure I want to know!"

"Aren't you even a little bit curious about what might be said about you?" CC asked.

"Curious? A little. Scared? A lot," he grinned.

"I promise, we don't say anything bad, mostly we all just wanna... nevermind. I'm sure you'll find out soon enough." CC beamed at him.

"Wanna what?" he said, a little confused. He caught Frankie's wicked grin and realized as he muttered "Maker!"

"Just stay away from the duelling arena, I beg you." CC giggled.

Frankie decided that would be way too much... and embarrassing to have to explain so she diverted the conversation hastily.

"Uhm... I see Nonna giving us the evil eye for excluding her in the conversation for so long."

"Oh, so glad you noticed that, finally. I was feeling like a fish out of water in my very own pond," Tess replied tartly.

"Sorry Nonna, but you know how we Dragon Age addicts can get," she said as she started blushing furiously once again at the realization of what she just said.

"Yes, I'm sorry Tess. Dragon Age addicts are apparently a very _interesting _bunch, what with the strip searches, cheese and all," Alistair quipped with a sly grin.

"And don't forget the iron rod," CC interjected.

"The iron what?" Alistair exclaimed.

Tess shook her head and smiled at them before interrupting. "Ali'boy, would you be kind enough to take CC to the Bistro now. There is still a lot to do today, so just move your ass a little, show her around and come back once she's happy."

"Are you sure you want me taking her on my own, Tess? I still don't know everything I need to about the Bistro," Alistair asked.

"Oh, hush. You'll be just fine, just show her around and introduce her to the staff that's on today," Tess said.

"I could go with you. It's really no trouble..." Frankie tried to say as Tess interrupted.

"No, as I said before, I need to speak to you privately, so you stay right here. I'm sure CC won't try to steal your dashing knight away from you. Isn't that right, CC?" Tess asked teasingly.

"Oh no, me? Never. Wouldn't even think of it." CC replied with a wicked grin.

"Good, because she might lock you up if you try," Tess replied, earning her a chuckle from CC and a glare from Frankie. Alistair looked at each of them in amusement and shook his head as he smiled.

Alistair could see Frankie tense up a little and he squeezed her hand reassuringly before bringing it up to his lips. Kissing it softly he said, "I'll be back soon, love. I won't take too long, and I love you."

Her eyes lit up and twinkled as she smiled beautifully at him. It made his heart melt with joy seeing her reaction to his words.

"I'm counting on it, and I love you too," Frankie replied, kissing him on the cheek before she continued, "Love."

Alistair kissed her goodbye and promised to be back soon before leaving the apartment with CC. Since he was working occasionally at the Bistro too, he was looking forward to getting to know her a little better. As he started walking down the street with CC, Alistair turned around and looked at the Brownstone wistfully, a smile on his face. He noticed CC grinning at him as if she could read him like a book and he chuckled and walked in the direction of the Bistro as fast as he could.

**xxXxx **

Frankie watched as Alistair left the apartment with mixed feelings of sadness and doubt. A nagging feeling settled over her, a feeling that something was very wrong or that something bad was about to happen, but she couldn't explain it and didn't know what it could be. She hoped it wasn't about Alistair, that he didn't get lost again or worse, but she was sure he would find his way. He had learned a lot over the time that they'd been together and she was very proud and very much in love with him. With a soft sigh she reined in her emotions and turned her attention back to her Nonna, in the hope that the news she wanted to share wasn't bad.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Nonna?" Frankie asked as she sat down on the chair beside Tess.

"I know you have been through a tough time recently and I don't want to do anything to rain on your parade, but I need to let you know your brother is coming back from Iraq, and he'll be staying here again until he's gotten himself sorted out. He's been through a tough time as well and he is family too. So I just wanted to give you a heads up, to give you enough time to deal with it before he gets home."

"So Nicky Russo, the ever loving soldier is coming home... oh joy," Frankie said with sarcasm dripping in her voice.

"Don't take that tone with me Cesca, or I swear I'll take you over my knee and spank you," Tess warned. "Your brother is a soldier that served his country proudly, you should be honoring him. You know he wanted to do what he could after 9/11."

"Yes, Nonna, and I am all for that. But was it really necessary for him to do two more tours after his four years was up?"

"You know Dominic has a strong sense of justice, just as you do. So stop dwelling on that. He did what he thought was right and I will not have you blaming him for it, just because you felt he abandoned his family."

"But Nonna..." Frankie started to say as she heard someone knocking on the front door.

She thought that Alistair might have forgotten something, although why he would knock was a bit odd. Frankie went to the door and opened it just enough to see who was standing there. She tried to slam the door shut again but the man put his shoulder to the door, sending her flying back.

Her heart was pounding in her chest and it felt like her head was about to explode at the horror she was now facing, as she looked up into the eyes of the man she had both hated and loved for years.

She scrambled to her feet, "Joey! What the fuck are you doing here? You know you're not allowed to set foot in this house, so get out, NOW!" Frankie seethed as her anger started to flare up.

"What? No hello Joey, how are you doing? Just a simple 'get out?'" Joey asked as he abruptly stepped closer to her, enjoying seeing her flinch.

"No, no hello Joey, rather a goodbye Joey and get the fuck out of my house," Frankie spat, backing off.

She could feel her temper flaring, she knew where this would lead and she didn't want to risk her Nonna's safety with a madman in her house. She wished her guns weren't in her room and wondered if she could make a dash.

"I'm not going anywhere without you, sweetheart. I have come to get you back and take you home where you belong. So get your things, let's go." Joey stated implacably.

"Are you fucked in the head or just plain stupid. I'm not going anywhere with you. It's over, it's been over for a year already. You have screwed up my life for the last time, Joey. I told you that when I threw you out, or did you forget that?" Frankie said through gritted teeth.

Frankie risked a look behind her to see where her Nonna was and didn't react fast enough as a fist came crashing down on her jaw. She staggered back and almost blacked out from the powerful blow. Frankie forced herself to remain conscious and tried to regain her footing as Joey started towards her with that awful and familiar anger in his eyes. As trained as she was in ways of defending herself, the memory of him and her fear of Tess being hurt made her struggle with the ability to fight back. One punch after another, Frankie desperately tried to shield herself from his blows. She could only hope Tess had gotten out or was hiding. As Joey drove his fist into her stomach he started shouting. "Did you really think you could whore around with some new guy and I wouldn't know about it? Do you think I'm that stupid, that I wouldn't find out about it? You are MINE Frankie, and you always will be."

"I am not yours nor will I ever be again, you son of a bitch. I see you haven't changed one bit, still need to hit a woman to feel like a man," Frankie sputtered as she spat out some blood that was threatening to choke her. She tried to move out of his reach as he brought his knee up but she wasn't fast enough to avoid the kick, and fell to the floor holding her midsection as it screamed in pain. She couldn't believe he had managed to catch her off guard so easily. She watched in horror as Tess appeared behind Joey with a skillet in her hand, but he spun on her quickly and knocked her to the ground. He stalked around Tess, kicking the pan into the corner of the room as he taunted her. "Oh, and here comes granny to try and beat me with her pan. Too bad I saw that one coming a mile off. Isn't that right old woman?"

"Leave her alone!" Frankie screamed, "Do what you want to me, but for the love of God, leave her alone." She forced herself to her feet, desperately trying to get to her grandmother, trying to protect her with every step she took. As she got closer, Joey grabbed her by her hair and threw her against the wall, continuing to rain punches down on her torso and face. Frankie tried to block his blows, even with the enormous amount of pain that was ripping through her entire body, but he was too strong, she couldn't block him or attempt to fight back. He knocked her to the ground once more and kicked her repeatedly with full force.

Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she laid there willing herself to gain enough strength to fight back. She felt her anger and hatred rising up again, but couldn't make a move with the pain that was raging through her. She saw him striding towards her Nonna once more and both fear and fury fueled her, giving her the energy to ignore all the pain she was in and to her feet. She remembered the knife that her Nonna had hidden under the table to her right, and she stumbled towards it as fast as she could. She retrieved the knife and moved towards Joey just as he was leaning over her grandmother. Frankie tried to reach her in time, but her body just wouldn't respond quickly enough. She saw red as he kicked Tess, and she grasped the knife tightly and shoved it into his side as he was going for another kick.

Joey screamed out in pain and backed away from her, while grasping his side. "You bitch! I'll kill you for that!" he hissed.

Frankie looked into his eyes, pointing the trembling knife at him as she growled, "You can try. But before I breathe my last breath, I will take as many of your body parts with me as I can. So give me your best shot."

Joey rushed towards her in a mad rage, and as much as it hurt her, Frankie stepped to the side, grabbed him and used his momentum to slam him into the wall. Joey staggered back, stunned, giving Frankie just enough time to get behind him and bring her knife forward, gripping it against his throat.

"Get out! Before I kill you." she gasped heavily.

"This is not the last time we'll be seeing each other Frankie. You know it as well as I do. I'll be back, for you, and your loverboy as well," he said as Frankie made him move towards the door.

"I'll be seeing you again soon. In jail, or in the morgue, your choice which. Now get out!" Frankie whipped the knife away and shoved him out of the door with the last of her strength. She managed to get it closed and locked and then had nothing left.

She slid down the door to the floor as the pain and her injuries started taking its toll on her body. Nonna... she had to get to Nonna. She crawled inch by painful inch to her grandmother who was still lying on the floor where Joey had left her. She looked desperately at her Nonna as she moved agonizingly slowly, to see if she was still breathing, desperately trying to stay conscious so she could reach her.

Frankie caught sight of some movement at the door and struggled to move faster, thinking it might be Joey returning for another beating session. She looked up with clouded vision just in time to see Alistair rushing towards them, screaming her name as if from very far away. He slid to his knees next to her and gathered her in his arms, glancing around the apartment with a look of absolute shock and horror in his eyes.

Frankie looked up at Alistair, not able to form a coherent sentence to try and tell him what happened. She could feel everything slipping away and could only find the strength to breathe one word. "Nonna."

Then everything went black.

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**Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

An Outrageously Huge and Spectacular Thanks to my awesome friends and beta's **RandomWittering **and **Isabella Monroe**. For not only beta'ing all the weird ideas and dramatic scenes that go into this story, but mostly for being there, through the laughter and the tears, the good days and the bad. It means more to me than you'll ever know. Your daft bat and jinxy pooh thanks you from the bottom of her heart. Love you lots and I will always be there for you as you have been for me.

**HUGE** Hugs to **All the Cheeky, Spanky and Smutty Monkeys. **  
**;-)**

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**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me on a daily basis. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on fav author, the story on favs, and alerts!_

_This chapter was a tricky pickle to write, but thanks to the help of some awesome friends, I was able to stick it out. The next one will also be a tough one, so go get some tissues and chocolate or ice-cream (except you, Bonkzy, just tissues for you!) You have been warned._

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**BioWare owns Ali...**

**Chapter 10**

Alistair followed and watched helplessly as they rushed Frankie and Tess into a large room, filled with equipment. What felt like a crowd of people suddenly descended on them from all directions and just like in the ambulance, words he didn't understand were being shouted, a complete flurry of activity going on.

"Alistair?" a soft familiar voice spoke beside him and he tore his eyes away from the chaotic scene in front of him.

"Come with me Alistair, you don't need to see this." Louise said, with a worried frown.

"Louise..." he said, and drew in a ragged breath.

"Come now, she and Tess are in the best hands," Louise insisted, drawing him gently with her, out of the room and away.

"Shouldn't you be in there with her? Aren't you on duty?" Alistair asked as he saw Louise was dressed in her nursing scrubs.

"Yes I am, and I want to but I can't, because I'm too close to them both. I can't be detached enough for them." she replied.

She led him to a quiet room nearby and stared out of the window. He couldn't believe this had happened in the time that he had been at the Bistro. It felt like such a short time, but who could have done this to them and why? All he could see in front of him was Frankie lying on the floor in a puddle of blood, her blood, her blood, her blood. His mind started racing. What if he had gotten there later, would she have survived? IS she going to survive? Why wasn't he quicker? Why did he take so long to get back? Why did he leave them there alone? He'd sworn to himself that he would always keep them safe, and now he could lose both of them for his failure.

"What the hell happened, Alistair?" Louise asked quietly.

Alistair scrubbed his face with his hands, "Maker, I wish I knew. I had to go to the Bistro for Tess. I got back to the house, the place had been trashed and I just found them lying there. Thank the Maker Frankie had showed me how to find your number on speed-dial, otherwise I..." He noticed his hands were shaking and he clenched them into fists to stop them. "Who could have done this Lou? Who the hell would hurt either of them? It just doesn't make any sense."

Louise turned back to look at him "I don't know either, but I could just kill them right now," she said angrily. "Let's get you cleaned up, Alistair," she said suddenly, realizing he had blood all over his hands and clothes.

Alistair looked down, as if only just realizing and he felt sick to his stomach. He couldn't figure out why, since it was hardly the first time he had been covered with someone else's blood.

"You are in shock Alistair. It might not be the first time you've had a loved one's blood on you, but coming across them like that..." she said, and Alistair nodded dumbly. That was it, he had Frankie's blood over him. Her precious blood. Once again his mind started spinning, her blood, her blood, her blood.

He let Louise help him change into some spare scrubs she found for him and she gently washed his hands and face. He felt so numb right now, but knew there was a roaring fury behind it. She made him eat and drink and he couldn't honestly tell what it had been. All he could see was Frankie lying there, her last whispered word and Tess's too still form.

Louise left the room periodically and he learned to read her expressions when she came back. Fear at first, then worry, then anger and finally, hope.

She took his hand and made him look at her. "They aren't out of the woods yet Alistair, but it's looking good."

"How are they?" he asked immediately, his mind suddenly focusing. Louise looked relieved to have him respond.

"I won't lie to you, they are both pretty banged up. Tess is better off than Frankie but her age is against her. Frankie... I don't know what to tell you... someone beat the living hell out of her. Severe concussion, broken ribs, her right arm is fractured, her spine has been injured but that's relatively minor in comparison," she took a deep breath. "The real worries are the head wound and there is some internal bleeding, she's going up to surgery for that now. We can only wait but she really is in the best hands, Alistair. I work with these people, they are the best."

"And Tess?" he asked.

"She has a concussion and a fractured arm. Nothing too serious but as I said, her age is against her. She's a stubborn old lady though, and I can't see something like that keeping her down for long," and she shared a smile with Alistair at the thought of stubborn Tess being forced to take it easy and recuperate.

Louise's pager went off and she frowned down at it and cursed.

"I'm sorry, I have to answer that. I will be back soon, I promise" she said.

"I will be fine, don't worry" Alistair replied.

Louise looked at him for a few moments, reluctant to go, but her pager went off again, she sighed and left the room.

The door slammed open a few minutes later and Bella stormed in, tears in her eyes.

"Louise said I'd find you here, what the FUCK happened Alistair? Where were YOU?" she shouted, advancing on him, anguish and fear on her face.

"Tess sent me to show someone around the Bistro, Bella." he said, trying to stay calm himself.

"You should have been there, to protect them for fucks sake!"

"Yes, I should, but I wasn't and don't you think that is eating me up too?" he said, a hint of anger creeping into his tone.

Bella just stared at him and burst into tears. Alistair couldn't think of anything to do other than put his arms around her while she cried. He knew how close she was to Frankie and Tess and she was blaming herself as much as he was.

Finally her sobs slowed and she pulled back. "How are they?" she asked, "Louise called me and told me to get here as fast as possible and that things look good now but... fuck, Alistair, what happened?"

"I don't know!" he said a bit sharply. He shook his head in mute apology.

Louise came back into the room, her face as white as a sheet. Alistair and Bella both looked at her in horror, dreading any news that could make Louise look like that.

"Is she..." Alistair began hollowly.

"No! They are both fine at the moment, Frankie's surgery is going well so far," she said. She looked at Bella for a moment before Louise turned towards Alistair. "Can I talk to you for a second, outside?" Alistair raised an eyebrow and looked to make sure Bella was okay and she nodded worriedly.

They stepped outside and Louise was quiet for a few moment, wringing her hands, obviously struggling with something.

"I really shouldn't be doing this but GOD, if I could do something myself, I would." she said in agitation.

"What is it Louise? Have you found something out?" Alistair asked.

"I just saw Frankie's ex-boyfriend in the emergency room, waiting to be prepped for surgery. He... he looks like he's been in one hell of a fight and he's been stabbed. But Alistair. His knuckles are all banged up as if he'd been hitting someone." she babbled.

Alistair scowled, "Is this the man that hit her before?" he demanded.

Louise looked worried and nodded.

"Show me where."

Louise looked torn and hesitated but finally nodded and took him to the ER. She checked there was no one attending Joey and then with a determined look, she left to go check on Frankie and Tess before going back to Bella. Alistair knew that she was battling her conscience by telling him, but it was time for that son-of-a-bitch to finally learn his lesson, and Alistair was the perfect person to give it to him.

Alistair slid into the cubicle and looked at all of the machinery. He wondered how the machines were helping the worthless human being lying in front of him. He shrugged angrily and walked over to the bed. Alistair could see that Joey was a little out of it but as he approached, he could see that he somehow knew who Alistair was. He saw everything he needed to know in the man's guilty gaze.

"You might be a thug and a bully but you still live by rules in this society," he said softly, "I don't." He put his hand gently over the oxygen mask on Joey's face and removed it. Then put his large hand over the man's mouth and nose, holding him down with easy strength. Joey's eyes bulged in fear and he batted futilely at Alistair's hand.

He bent down until he was by Joey's ear.

"You ever touch them again, and you'll see just how easily I can kill you, without thought or remorse. You have no idea how many monsters I've killed to keep those I love, safe. I'll look into your eyes as you piss yourself and you breathe your last breath. I promise you this, do not EVER touch them again."

He let go and Joey gasped for breath as alarms started ringing from the machines around him.

"Y-you're crazy," whined the pathetic excuse for a man.

"Yes. So don't test me. You have been warned." Alistair said, implacably and just as quickly, left the room as people started rushing in.

He was on his way back to the waiting room when Louise caught up with him, looking worried.

"It was him, he did it, the son of a bitch." Alistair said, clenching his fists.

Louise paused, "Did you..." she started and sighed in relief as he shook his head.  
"Maker knows I wanted to, but where would that leave Frankie? I might have had 'words' with him though and who knows, maybe he'll even listen" he said with a shrug. "If he tries it again, he'll have to go through me and next time I won't be so gentle."

"I shouldn't have told you about him but I couldn't just let him go." Louise confessed and Alistair hugged her.

"I'm glad you did. Thank you, I know it wasn't easy." he said.

Louise stepped back and ran her hands through her hair. "Lets get back to Bella before she implodes," she said with a small smile.

"Actually, I need some air," he said, I'll come back in a little while, I just need some time to... process it, I guess."

Louise nodded in understanding and told him how to get outside and back in again before she went back to Bella.

He found a bench outside and sat down, breathing deeply. He'd felt like he couldn't take a full breath in there since he'd seen Joey. Everything in him wanted to kill the bastard for what he'd done, but he had to remind himself, this wasn't Ferelden and there would be consequences for Frankie and that is something he didn't want. He wasn't joking about his threat though, he'd meant every word.

Finally he relaxed a little and decided to head back in, he didn't want Louise and Bella to have to worry about him too.

As he entered the waiting room where Louise and Bella were sitting close together, he could hear they were in deep conversation and although he didn't want to interrupt or cause more stress, he felt that they were all part of his family now too and he needed to find out why it all happened by all means that he could.

"For all we know he could have been stalking her for months, seeing her with Alistair," Louise said as she saw him enter.

"Yeah, that bastard could have been waiting outside the apartment when we dropped them off last night and none of us realized it. Just waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike." Bella replied angrily.

"Wait a minute, you think that he'd been waiting there all that time?" Alistair asked incredulously.

"Yes, and it wouldn't be the first time." Bella looked at him with both rage and heartbreak in her eyes. "This whole thing is a lot more complicated than you think, Alistair. I don't know how much you know, but when Frankie recovers, I think she needs to tell you. Because I can see that in just one night, she has become a lot more to you, hasn't she?"

"She's my life, Bella, I can't live without her. I don't want to live without her, and yes, a lot has changed, but it's not just from last night. I have been in love with her for months, and only found out last night that she loves me too." Alistair said as he dragged his fingers through his hair and started pacing the room.

"But you're worried now, aren't you? Talk to us Alistair, we can help and we are all in this together." Louise asked with concern.

"Yes, I am worried. I know what this kind of thing can do to a woman. What if she thinks I'm the same, that I'll do that to her or that I will allow it to happen again. Worst of all, what if he finally broke her?"

"Don't underestimate her, Alistair. And please don't start doubting now. We all know she loves you, just as you love her. We've known it for quite some time already. Why do you think we went out of our way to minx the two of you? It's because you were meant to be, you were meant for each other, Alistair. And you always will be." Louise said.

"I agree wholeheartedly and I also know and can guarantee you that Frankie won't push you away because of this. She knows you're not Joey or her dickhead of a…" Bella stopped mid-sentence and shook her head with a curse. Alistair wondered why she'd stopped and more importantly, what else had happened to Frankie that he didn't know about, who else had hurt her?

"Her dickhead of a...?" Alistair asked.

Bella drew a shaky breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's not my place to tell, I swore I wouldn't and I have said too much already. I am sorry Alistair, but this is something you'll have to hear from Frankie. I can't tell you, even if I wanted to. I'm sorry."

Before Alistair could push any further as to whom Bella had been talking about, Louise stepped in. "I agree, I think it should come from Frankie directly. I asked her once, why she has such a extensive medical file here at the hospital. She was in and out of here like a yo-yo as a teenager. But she just said she was a tomboy and got hurt a lot while climbing trees and such, but I doubted that was all it was. It's also something I'm not allowed to talk about, but she means a lot to us and she needs to start talking, before it eats her from the inside out."

That thought alone made Alistair worry even more. What else could have happened to her? Why had she been in hospital so often and who else could have hurt her? Why? His mind stared reeling at all the new questions he had, but for now all he could do was pray that the Maker would keep her alive, just so he could see her face once more.

**xxXxx**

A heavy fog coated Frankie's brain, impairing her ability to clearly process everything going on around her. She heard a steady and annoying beating that kept pulling her further and further out of her unconscious state. She could feel something softly stroking her arm, and she felt the warmth of a strong body pressed against her. She opened her eyes, squinting at the bright lights in the room, as she heard a voice she never thought she would hear again.

"How are you feeling?" Alistair asked, looking at her with love and concern.

"Alistair," she said with a cracked voice. "I'm doing okay, I guess," she replied softly and she fought back tears that were threatening to overwhelm her as she realized where she was. Again. "How's Nonna, Is she okay? Please tell me he didn't... please tell me she's still..."

"Shhh, it's okay. She is in the room next to yours and she's recovering. She managed to block some of the attack. The doctor says she has a concussion and a broken arm, but they are keeping her here to run tests of some sort. You'll have to ask Bella or Louise about those. It's all still a bit confusing to me," Alistair explained.

"Tests? That's never usually a good sign. I have to go to her, I have to see her and make sure she's alright." Frankie said as she tried to sit up, but crumbled in pain and almost pulled out the drips in her hand and arm. Alistair held onto her and helped her lay back down.

"No, Frankie. Don't move, please. You have to stay still. You've been hurt badly, and according to the doctor that was just here, you won't be able to get out of bed or try to walk for at least a few weeks," Alistair explained gently.

"I need to see her Alistair, please let me see her," Frankie begged with no regard to the tears that were streaming down her cheeks.

"Louise works here, you know that. She will make sure you see Tess as soon as it's possible. The doctors just want to make sure you are both stable first, and neither you nor Tess would be able to handle seeing each other in the state that you were both in, and deep down, you know it too." Alistair whispered gently as he wiped the runaway tears from her face. "You'll see her soon, I promise."

"What's wrong with me? You haven't told me yet, or don't I wanna know?" Frankie asked as she tried to gain control of her emotions and stop her tears.

"Frankie, you've been severely injured." Alistair sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "You've been here over a week, slipping in and out of consciousness for the last three days. You had a bad concussion, four broken ribs, a fracture in your right arm, a minor injury to your spinal cord and you had some internal bleeding." Alistair drew a deep shaky breath as he continued. "According to Louise, if we hadn't gotten you to the hospital when we did, you might not have made it."

"So I'm all kinds of fucked up then?" Frankie smiled weakly through the pain she felt as she tried to make light of the situation. She focused on Alistair and saw that he looked tired, as if he hadn't slept in days. She looked around the room and saw flowers and get well soon cards throughout the room. It reminded her of all the other times she had been there before. The memories struck a painful chord in her.

"That's not funny, Frankie, tell me what happened and tell me how you really feel, please." Alistair said, looking into her eyes, stroking her cheek as she winced at the pain. "I'm so sorry, I should have been there, I should have protected you."

"It wasn't your fault, Alistair, and there is nothing you could have done. I knew he would come for me again, sooner or later."

"What he did to you, it makes... it makes me want to kill the bastard. What kind of man would do something like that? Does he think it makes him strong or godly to beat on women like that."

"I... I can't talk about it right now, please don't push. I'm not ready," she said, her voice cracking.

"Why didn't you tell me that you thought he would be back? And how did he manage to overpower you like that? In all the times that you and I sparred, you kicked my ass on more than one occasion. So what happened?"

Frankie sighed tiredly, and sadly turned her face away from Alistair. "You... wouldn't understand and I can't explain it right now. Please... just don't."

"Frankie, look at me, please." he asked, a pleading note in his tone.

She couldn't help but look back, afraid to see ridicule or contempt on his face, that she'd become less in his eyes than before. Most of all she feared seeing pity, that was the one thing she hated seeing most. She didn't want anyone, especially Alistair to feel sorry for her. She wasn't looking for the kind of attention that would just remind her of exactly how weak she was and how easily she could crumble. She worked up the courage to finally look at him and caught her breath when she saw the pride and love shining on his face. She blinked at him in confusion.

"I'm sorry Frankie, I shouldn't have pushed. I just... where I come from, this kind of thing, it happens a lot. And I hate it. I can't imagine how it feels to be on the receiving end and I won't ask again until you are ready, but know this. You are amazing. You are the strongest woman I know, and if my guess is right, you have endured so much and still survived. What happened with that bastard, you fought with everything you had in you and no one could ask for more than that..." he stopped as he started to choke up. "Just know, I love you and when you are ready, I will listen."

As much as it hurt, she tilted her head and moved closer to him, capturing his lips with her own as tears once again took over. Frankie couldn't believe that he understood in that way, much less that he still loved her after all that had happened. One part of her wondered why, why did he still love her and how was it possible for him to see her as strong when she only saw herself as weak and vulnerable. He pulled away reluctantly and once more wiped the tears from her cheeks.

Alistair leaned forward and kissed her forehead, about the only place that didn't hurt her, "Shhh, see yourself through my eyes, how I see you. I know you don't think the same, but let me be your strength until you are ready."

Frankie looked at him, wanting desperately to believe what he said, it was just...

The door opened and Frankie both cursed and felt relief at the interruption. Louise and Bella walked into the room slowly, as if they were both worried and relieved to see her awake. Frankie could see the mixed feelings in their eyes as they approached her bed side. She knew she would have to tell them everything sooner or later. She had tried so hard to hide it, just so that they wouldn't feel sorry for her or resent her for it if she told them later. She wanted to be strong in their eyes, as much as she wanted them to love her for who she was.

"See, Bella, I told you she was awake!" Louise said with a smile at Frankie. Louise was dressed in her work scrubs so Frankie could only assume she was on duty. She was relieved to see nothing but care and love in Louise's eyes and relaxed slightly. She knew Louise wouldn't push until she was ready and that really, she wouldn't be hearing or seeing anything she hadn't already. That made it a little easier to know.

Bella seemed to be on the verge of tears and trying to hold them back, to show a brave face to Frankie. Frankie held out her good arm to her and Bella dashed for her, a sob sounding in her throat. Alistair stood and moved over to Louise, to let the two friends be closer. After Bella sat on the chair next to her bed, Frankie looked at Alistair and saw he had a pensive expression on his face, as if something was worrying him or something was wrong. She made a mental note to ask him about it later as she tried to move herself into a position for him to sit on the bed with her. She beckoned him closer with a smile on her face and he complied willingly. She would be lying to herself if she said she had no doubts about the implications the attack would have on her relationship with Alistair. But she trusted that he would never hurt her.

"We wanted to come and make sure you finally decided to once again grace us with your consciousness, did you sleep well?" Louise quipped. Frankie couldn't help but smile, knowing that humor was definitely needed at this moment.

"Why, yes I did, thank you. I couldn't wait to wake up just to get the chance to irritate you again," Frankie struggled to giggle, but tried all the same. "And all I needed to do was get my ass in hospital to get Bella crying."

"That's not funny. You scared me," Bella protested.

"I'm sorry, it was in bad taste, I take it back," She said sincerely at her friend. "Have you all been here the entire time? You look like hell."

"We feel like ass as well, if it helps. But we will do it over and over again, just for you," Bella said.

"Oh, so are we gonna do this often then?" Frankie asked, once again failing at being serious, trying to put all of them at ease.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Bella shot back.

"Yes, I know. I love you all very much and thank you for being here," she smiled at each of them. "Hmm...Where's Sal?"

"She was sent out of town for work, she'll be back tomorrow or the day after. She was so pissed when she heard you were here and she couldn't come to see you, but she'll be here as soon as she gets back," Louise explained.

They sat there talking for hours until there was another knock at the door. It was Carrie. She had to speak to Frankie in private and the others left the room to go check on Tess while Frankie was busy.

Carrie informed Frankie that their Chief was planning on firing her from the force due to the fact that she was on her last warning. In his opinion, she had used unnecessary force when she'd stabbed Joey, and her long track record of beating the hell out of some criminals, especially abusers, was all weighing up against her. They wanted to avoid another scandal of police brutality in the media and were convinced that it could be avoided if they let Frankie leave quietly. She had to report to the station as soon as she was released from hospital.

A whole flood of emotions ran through Frankie, from outrage to resignation. She should have guessed this would be the perfect excuse the Chief needed. She'd had issues in the past, she knew that, but this time she did what she'd had to, in self defense and if that asshole thought she was going to take this lying down, he had another thing coming. Except, she thought wryly, all she could do right now was take it lying down. _Ah fuck it_, she thought, let them do what they wanted, she honestly couldn't care less right now...

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**Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

_It is a very rare thing in this day and age to find true friends we can completely rely on and trust. Yet, when we do find such true friends, it is also so easy to take them for granted. But today I would like to thank you for being my friends and making that special difference in my life. I appreciate your support and guidance, which was really needed. My life was in a hopeless situation until you swooped in and rescued me. It was my ray of hope. Your enormous faith and trust in me, gave me the strength to continue. And therefor I would thank you endlessly. You are my life, my love and most of all, my family._

_Huge hugs and special thanks to __**Isabella Monroe**_ _and __**RandomWittering**__, my spankalicious betas. Without you, I would be hopeless and lost. You mean more to me than you will ever know. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Love ya lots and I will always be there for you, as you have been for me._

_VERY Special Thank you to Random for helping me co-write this chapter. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you. The shining light in my endless night. ;-)_

**HUGE** Hugs to **All the Cheeky, Spanky and Smutty Monkeys.**  
**;-)**

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**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me on a daily basis. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on fav author, the story on favs, and alerts! Thank you for the wonderful reviews. They have really helped keep me on the straight and narrow. *HUGS*_

_As I said in the last chapter. This one will not be pretty. It took everything I had to write it and I have never been more proud of anything as I have been of writing this. It was a huge mountain to climb, and I'm still climbing. Have you got your tissues? Ice-Cream? and yes Bonkzy, you can have some too. I will need your brilliantly bouncy sense of humor to drag me through this nerve-wrecking chapter. So here goes, and enjoy! Well not enjoy, but you know what I mean._

_**;-)**_

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**BioWare owns Ali...**

**Chapter 11**

Three weeks later, Frankie was released from hospital, after giving the doctors a hard time for keeping her there. She had a difficult time trying to cope with her limited movement abilities due to her injuries, but kept it to herself. She had found out that Alistair had threatened Joey while she was in hospital, but she was surprised that there were no charges made against him or anything was mentioned about it further, she couldn't help but wonder why. She got Alistair to agree to stay with Tess while Bella took her to the station to talk to the Chief. She wanted to walk in there with her head held high and also wanted to avoid further questions that may have been asked if Alistair had gone with her.

Bella picked her up and drove her to the station. She stared out the window and tried to clear her mind of all thoughts on the way. When she got there, she walked into the office she shared with her fellow officers and was greeted by a roaring applause as she walked by. She was shocked at the reaction and wondered why they were carrying on like that, until she saw the sly smile on Carrie's face. That was all she needed, she knew that Carrie had made sure that everyone one knew what really happened and that she didn't just lash out at Joey for no reason. During all her time on the force, she knew that Carrie always had her back, no matter what the situation was.

"You know, with your bad luck your name should actually be Jinx. I mean, just look at it, you are about to get fired, and as soon as you enter a building, everyone starts applauding you for looking as if you've been hit by a truck, a train and an airplane. How are you feeling?" Carrie smiled broadly at her.

"Well, geez, thanks..I guess. You sure know how to fill my day with compliments don't ya? I'm doing okay." she ginned at her partner in crime, or was it crime prevention, she was never quite sure. "Where's the Chief? Is he in the can shitting bricks again or is he actually in his office for a change?"

"See, that's what I mean by bad luck, he's in his office...waiting for some unlucky minx called Frankie Russo." Carrie said as she winked at Frankie. She nodded and grinned before she and Bella walking to the Chief's office with Carrie in tow.

As they reached the door, Carrie pulled her into a hug and said. "Good luck in there." Frankie nodded an mouthed a 'thank you' as she opened the door and went inside.

"Lieutenant Russo, I know you're a good cop, but lately there have been too many formal complaints about you and with this recent incident you are more of a liability to the department than an asset. The last thing this department needs is any more bad publicity. I'm sorry, but I need to let you go. If you leave quietly without a fuss we will give you three months salary plus benefits," the Chief explained.

"Sir, I know I don't have the shiniest record in this department, probably not the entire station either, but this last incident was not my fault and I was only defending myself and my Grandmother. Now you want to fire me because of it? That's a bit unfair don't you think?"

"Your boyfriend assaulted him in the hospital..."

"That's hearsay. It's Joey's word against Alistair's. There were no witnesses to this supposed assault and there was no further injuries on Joey's body," Frankie interrupted as she defended Alistair.

"Hearsay or not, we can't let this continue. It is giving not only this department but the whole N.Y.P.D a bad name, and we can't have any more of that. I'm sorry Lieutenant Russo but my word is final." the Chief argued.

"But Sir, I'm the victim here and so is my Grandmother. What about the assault on her? Where is the justice for her?" Frankie demanded.

"Lieutenant Green is on the case at the present time, I am sure she will get to the bottom of it soon, your Grandmother and yourself will receive justice for what has been done to you, but that doesn't change the fact that you did stab that man and he did lay charges against you." the Chief said forcefully.

"Fine, then I want to file charges against him too, as a victim that is my right," Frankie retorted angrily.

"I would advise you against that Lieutenant Russo, if you want your salary and benefits that I have mentioned previously, then you will leave quietly without filling charges. Is that clear?"

Bella and Carrie who had been standing outside the office had overheard the whole exchange. Frankie looked back at them for a second and by the look on Bella's face, Frankie could see that her friend certainly was not going to stand for this kind of bullshit. Before Frankie could stop her, Bella stormed into the Chief's office with the raging fire of a thousand suns stalking her steps. Both Frankie and Carrie tried to block her from entering to try and save the Chief from the inevitable fury that he would be facing in Bella. Sadly, they weren't fast enough.

"If you think railroading a fine police officer like Frankie while that bastard gets off scott free will help you avoid bad press, you're sadly mistaken. If you don't put Frankie on suspension, bring this before the union and file charges against that bastard, then I will reign down on you a shit storm of bad PR." Bella protested.

"Who the hell are you?" The Chief bellowed.

Frankie suppressed a grin as Carrie said, "Aaah, she's the owner of Monroe Public Relations & Marketing. Maybe you've heard of them, they handle all the media for the New York Rangers."

"You don't have any evidence to support that," the Chief bellowed.

"It's the press, since when do you need evidence. I'm warning you Chief, if you do this, I will pull in every favor owed to me and you'll be lucky to have a job when I'm through with the bad PR I will bring down on you," Bella threatened.

"Fine! We'll investigate the matter further. Until then, Russo, you are under suspension until further notice. Turn in your gun and badge. You will need to contact your union representative and inform him of this action," the Chief said angrily. "We are done, you are excused."

"I'm not quite done yet Chief, I would now like to file charged of breaking and entering and assault against Joey, I would also request that an officer be sent to the hospital where my Grandmother is at the current time so that she can file charges against him too." Frankie replied with a serious and threatening look on her face, "Now I think we're done, so I'll see you later Chief, try not to miss me too much."

Frankie turned on her heels, still biting down on the pain and walked out of the office with her friends, her dignity and the little bit of self-esteem she had left.

In truth, she didn't want to be a cop anymore, couldn't get used to the fact that for a force that always seeked the truth in all circumstances they sure did a crummy job at seeking it in her situation. She did take her anger out on criminals, she could admit that. But the whole business with Joey was always in self-defense, nothing more nothing less. She now had the chance to prove them wrong, and she would, no matter how badly she wanted to tell the Chief to take his job and shove it. Frankie was grateful that once again her friend, her sister was there to help her and defend her when she was unable to. She would always be there for Bella as Bella has been there for her.

After Frankie filed charges against Joey, Carrie pulled her aside and told her that Joey had a little accident after he was released from hospital. She couldn't give Frankie any details apart from a wink and a smile, as she promised Frankie that Joey will never bother her again. Frankie asked what exactly Carrie meant by it and Carrie just replied with a 'You didn't think we'd let him get away with it did you?' before smiling one last time as gave Frankie a hug, turned around, smiled at Bella and returned to her office.

"You know you're my guardian angel, right?" Frankie smiled and pulled Bella into a tight hug.

"The wings and halo might be a little tarnished but they still work," Bella replied with a smile of her own.

Frankie started giggling. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you so much. You're my sister and you mean the world to me,"

"Same here, sister, same here." Bella grinned as they made their way out of the station to Bella's car. "I need to meet up with Tristen for lunch. I'll drop you off at the apartment and make sure you're comfy before I go. I'll be back a little later and I know that Alistair and Lou will be there soon. They just had to swing by the Bistro to see that everything was still running smoothly."

"No, can't you drop me off at the hospital instead? I want to see how Nonna is doing and Sal said she'd be there right? So I can just get a ride back to the apartment with her," Frankie asked hastily.

"Yes, I can take you there, but are you sure? You really should get some rest. You are still pretty banged up and I don't mean that as a euphemism." Bella grinned.

"Thanks for that, and yes I'm sure. I won't stay long. I just want to make sure she's okay." Frankie responded with a smile.

They got in the car and took to the streets. Frankie always enjoyed spending time with Bella. She always seemed to know what Frankie was thinking and if something was bothering her. At that moment, Frankie needed distraction and Bella had just the thing to fix that too. She switched the radio on and Frankie couldn't help but smile at the song that started playing.

"I can't remember the last time I heard this song. How did you know that I needed to hear it?" Frankie asked.

_The Broken clock is a comfort, It helps me sleep tonight_  
_Maybe it can stop tomorrow, From stealing all my time_  
_And I am here still waiting, Though I still have my doubts_  
_I am damaged at best, Like you've already figured out_

"I know you well enough by now to know exactly what you're thinking. And I remember the last time you needed something to remind you that life is worth living. This song is as much part of you as I am." Bella replied sincerely.

_I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing_  
_With a broken heart, That's still beating_  
_In the pain, There is healing_  
_In your name, I find meaning_  
_So I'm holding on, I'm barely holding on to you_

"I don't know if it's the same this time, Bella. When he came for me I was taken over by the same fear, the same dread and the same mind numbing feeling that I was going to die. Just like with my father, I was powerless. I couldn't stop him, no matter what I did," Frankie sighed.

_The broken locks were a warning, You got inside my head_  
_I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead_  
_And I still see your reflection, Inside of my eyes_  
_That are looking for purpose, They're still looking for life_

"You still haven't gotten through all those years of pain and torment, have you? You are still bottling it up and pretending it doesn't exist or that it didn't happen." Bella asked.

_I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing_  
_With a broken heart, That's still beating_  
_In the pain, Is there healing_  
_In your name, I find meaning_  
_So I'm holding on, I'm barely holding on to you_

"I can never pretend that it didn't happen." Frankie ran her fingers through her hair as she continued. "Our scars have the power to remind us that the past was real,"

_I'm hanging on another day, Just to see what, you will throw my way_  
_And I'm hanging on, to the words you say, You said that I will, will be okay_  
_The broken light on the freeway, Left me here alone_  
_I may have lost my way now, But I haven't forgotten my way home_

"That doesn't mean you've worked through it and you know it will eat you up inside if you don't acknowledged it and find a way to work through it. It's the only hope you have for moving on with your life and beating that fear," Bella stated.

_I'm falling apart,I'm barely breathing_  
_With a broken heart, That's still beating_  
_In the pain , There is healing_  
_In your name, I find meaning_  
_So I'm holding on, Barely holding on to you_  
_Barely holdin on to you_

Frankie nodded in her reply. She knew that once she started talking about it, all the floodgates would open and she would never want her family to see her being so weak and vulnerable. Bella dropped her off at the hospital and made sure Sallie was there before Bella left for her lunch date with Tristen.

Frankie made sure that her Nonna was doing okay and that she was still comfortable, Tess did give her a hard time about still being stuck in hospital. Frankie asked the doctors why exactly they were keeping Tess there for so long. It had been five weeks already and she was out but her Nonna wasn't. The doctor merely told her that they were still running tests and would inform her as soon as they were happy with Tess' recovery. Frankie made a deal with her Nonna. She said that if Tess listened to the doctors and didn't give them a hard time, Frankie would make peace with her brother if she could.

Frankie had so many mixed feelings bubbling up inside her that she didn't know if she was coming or going anymore. She needed a drink, badly. She knew that drinking wasn't the answer to her problems but she just needed to get away for a while, escape it all. She and Sallie left the hospital after an hour and headed for the first decent bar they could find.

As they grabbed a seat at the bar Frankie could see Sallie was deep in thought. It was as if Sal didn't know what to say to her. Luckily the drinks started flowing and everything got a little less tense and a little more jolly.

"You'd never guess what a boo-boo I made the other day ." Sallie commented.

"Oh no, that can't be good. What the hell did you do this time and to who?" Frankie asked as she started giggling.

"You know me too well, but anyway. I was dating this guy for about three weeks or something and we were watching a movie at his place. He forgot to put salt on the popcorn, so I yelled after him to bring some with him when he returned from the kitchen," Sal started laughing as she continued, "But instead of yelling 'hey Xander, grab a bowl please' I yelled 'hey Anders, grab my hole, please,'"

"Wow, talk about a Freudian slip, but I like the way you think," Frankie chuckled.

"What do you mean? You have your own Ferelden hottie to keep you warm at night," Sal chortled.

"Oh, I know, but I'm not blind. Anders is very hot and I can see your reasons for lusting after the brooding mage," Frankie joked.

"Now if only Alistair could have brought Anders with him from Ferelden I would have been a happy and very satisfied puppy."

"I bet you would, but I think you might have had some competition"

"With who?" Sal huffed.

Frankie started counting on her fingers. "Well, there would be Bell..."

"Bella has her hot hockey boyfriend," Sal countered.

"Then there would be Lou..."

"Lou is gay," Sal argued.

"Yeah, but I think Lou could be a switch hitter for Anders. And I have heard CC wonder what Anders kept under those robes of his," Frankie said with a grin.

"Now that's not fair. None of us were lusting after your hunk. Why do you have to be so mean?" Sal said.

"Says who? I have a whole damn fan-girl site full of girls who are just dying to take him off my hands just so that they can feed him cheese and do funky things with his manly bits."

"Funky things?" Sal laughed. "What kind of funky things? What are those smut monkeys saying? Do tell?"

"Whipped cream, strip searches. And full on investigations of his manly bits." Frankie giggled.

"Mmmm, whipped cream," Sal moaned. "Wait that's it. That's all they said. Bella and I have more imagination than that in our sleep. We need to show them how's done!"

"I bet you could too, give me some pointers while you're at it." Frankie replied as she started feeling woozy.

"Well, first you have to set mood...create the hunger, the desire...the looonging," Sal purred as she drew out the last word.

"There will be longing alright. I won't be able to do anything until I can move properly. Now that just makes me sad." Frankie shook her head. "Sad, sad, sad."

"Well, that is when Alistair is going to just lean you back and let you enjoy the ride for awhile. I'm sure a man that size has a very well endowed tongue," Sal said impishly.

Frankie started blushing and responded as quickly as she could "How quick can you get me home?"

Sal burst out laughing, "My, my that good at mowing the lawn is he? I'm impressed!"

Yeah, yeah. Are we talking or are we driving? I wanna get home, like NOW!" Frankie giggled while swaying dangerously on her chair.

"Alright let's pay the bill and go," Sal grinned.

They settled their bill and left the bar. As they got into the car Sal asked. "You wanna hear a dirty joke?"

"Always," Frankie replied, still blushing.

"How are women and tornadoes alike?"

"I haven't got the foggiest"

"They both moan like hell when they come, and take the house when they leave."

Frankie started laughing uncontrollably as they made their way back to the apartment. Once they got there, Frankie and Sal were greeted by a very pissed off Louise, Bella and Alistair. Alistair was more worried than pissed off and for that, Frankie was very thankful. She knew she was going to get chewed out by either Bella or Lou, and judging by the look on their faces, Lou was the most dangerous.

"Where the hell have you two been? You, Frankie Russo, should have been in bed, _resting _hours ago." Louise stated angrily.

"We went out for a few drinks. Chill out Lou, you're starting to sound like my mother." Sal retorted.

"I'll give you a hiding like your mother too if you two don't get your asses into that living room. We need to talk." Louise growled.

Frankie stared at her for a moment before giving an odd snort "Wrong parent, but nice try," she snapped as she stormed past.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lou asked in frustration at Frankie's out of character behavior.

Frankie stumbled into the lounge and stopped, seeing Alistair and Bella there too. Alistair went to put his arm around Frankie and pull her to one side. He asked her if she was okay and why she went out drinking. That was all it took to make Frankie remember exactly what she had been trying to forget all day. She could feel herself bubbling up with frustration and anger, the alcohol fueling her temper.

As they sat down, Louise tried again, "Right, now explain yourselves. Where were you, and why the hell have you been drinking, Frankie? You are on medication. Do I need to explain how dangerous that is AGAIN?"

"No, you don't. I knew exactly what I was doing and what the implications were. I just needed to forget. Just for FIVE FREAKING MINUTES of my life, not think about all of it." Frankie suddenly shouted.

Everyone was taken aback and Alistair looked at her in worry.

"Would everyone stop looking at me as if I've grown another head?" she tried to say calmly but her voice was harsh.

"Frankie... if it's about Joey..." Lou began in a placating tone and suddenly Frankie couldn't hold onto it all anymore.

"Oh if it was only about Joey, I could deal. You know what? You want to know what happened to make me the wreck I am today? I'll tell you, but you had better be _damn_ sure you want to hear it," she broke off on a half sob.

"There is more to the Joey thing?"

"No, not just that. All of it. My whole forsaken history." Frankie squeezed her eyes shut and counted to ten.

"I think it's time you tell them all Frankie. You shouldn't have to suffer through it alone." Bella murmured encouragingly. Frankie looked at her and saw the love and support in her eyes and her anger drained away.

No one spoke as Frankie paced a little, her arms hugging herself tightly. Finally she turned to them, her eyes full of pain.

"As much as it physically hurts, I'll tell you what happened to me as a child and teenager. As far as I could remember, my father had always been angry with me for some reason or the other, I could never figure out what I had done wrong or how I was naughty. My first memory of getting an answer to that question was when I was 8 years old. He was having a fight with my mother about something, I can't even remember what, but I heard a hard slap and something hard hitting the cupboard in my mother's room. I was worried, thought my mom might have fallen off something and needed my help, I heard her crying and screaming in pain and I thought my father was in his study playing games on his computer, that he might not have heard her."

"I opened the door and saw for the first time in my life how my father was brutally beating my mother. He was hitting her and kicking her until she could move or get up anymore, I was frozen in place. Couldn't believe what I was seeing. I got angry and scared all at the same time. As soon as he saw me standing there, I told him that I was going to phone Nonna and tell her what he did. He came at me, threatened me as he always did, but somehow I got the courage to run to the phone. I will never forget that phone, it was a big red one with one of those dial things, not tough tone."

"Anyway, I picked up the phone and had it ringing Nonna before he got to me. He grabbed the phone out of my hand and threw it to pieces against the wall of our living room, then he knocked me off my feet, started punching and kicking me in the same manner as he did with my mother. I couldn't remember much after that. I had no idea what had gone so wrong. I thought I did the right thing, I thought I was protecting my mother. The only thing I could figure was that I was wrong and I was just being naughty, that's why he hit me. My mother begged me to be quiet about it, not say anything to anyone. I couldn't understand why, but she made me promise to keep quiet. I didn't say anything for years." Frankie choked back tears as she spoke.

Frankie tried to continue as she started crying hysterically. "It went on like that for years, for years I thought that I was just a naughty child and that was the reason that my father didn't want me. The reason why he hated me and told me so on many occasions. On my 14th birthday I had some friends over for a party. One of my friends accidentally broke a glass in my room, there were pieces of glass and cool-drink on the carpet. I tried to clean it as best I could but it wasn't good enough. Once my friends left, he grabbed me behind my neck and shoved me into my room. He had a whip/cane thing in his hand that he used to hit the dogs with when they didn't listen to him. He asked me if I thought he was a millionaire, that I could just fuck up his house and he wouldn't do anything about it. I was on my hands and knees, still trying to clean it when he walked closer to me and hit me across the back with that whip, I have never felt anything hurt as much as that hit. He hit me with such force that I fell to the floor on my stomach, a few pieces of glass cut me."

"He kept hitting me, and I kept screaming for my mother to help me..but all she did was stand there looking, tears streaming down her cheeks, but she just stood there and did nothing to stop him. I couldn't feel anything after a while. He picked me up by my neck again, dragged me down the hallway and threw me into the bathroom. Called out to my mother and told her to go clean up the mess in the room before she even thinks of 'helping this piece of shit' before he turned around and walked away. I still can't tell how many times he hit me that day. I have more than just memories to remind me of it."

"I know I was in the hospital on more than one occasion, it started feeling like a second home to me. Nonna wanted to know why I was there so often, but my mom always had an answer to satisfy her. When she asked me I kept telling her that everything was going to be okay and that I just fell off my bike or I had a rollerblading accident. It went on like that until I was 17 years old. That whip became his favorite toy for me along with the usual kicks and punches, name calling and all. I was just thankful that he never used that whip on my mom. Nonna was very upset when she found out what had happened, but until today, she doesn't know all of it. She and my mom don't see each other or talk to each other anymore."

"I came home from school one day and they were both there. I still remember it was my last year of school and close to my 18th birthday. He was hitting her and screaming at her again, and for once in my life, I didn't feel any fear, all I felt was hatred and anger. I lost myself that day, still can't explain exactly what happened, but I just snapped. I threw down my school bag and jumped on his back, kicking and punching him as best I could. He threw me off and I hit the wall, but I got up again. I paid no attention to the pain as he hit me, all I did was hit back every chance I got. He pulled his knife out and sliced me across the stomach a few times, luckily it wasn't deep, but it hurt like hell. While I was hunched over clenching my midsection, he came up behind me pulled me up and put the knife against my throat. Told me that he was going to kill me."

"By some miracle, I managed to elbow him in the ribs and get loose. I still don't know how I managed it. I felt strength that I didn't know I had. All my hate overpowered my fear and I hit him so hard that I broke his jaw and three of his ribs. It wasn't a life threatening attack that I had inflicted on him but it was enough to knock him out. I went to get the knife that he dropped and I will admit that I was thinking of killing him. As I held it in my hand a realization came over me. Did I want to spend the rest of my life in jail just for him? No, he wasn't worth it. So I called Nonna to come over as soon as she could after I went to make sure my mother was still breathing. That was the last time he hit me, and I foolishly thought he had stopped hitting my mother too. I was very foolish. He never stopped."

"My whole life. I have been told that I was worthless and not wanted. His favorite thing to say to me was that I fucked up his life by being born, or why couldn't I have just done the world a favor and died when I was being pushed out of my mother. My mother, my mother did nothing to stop any of it. She was just there to clean my wounds when I didn't need to go to hospital or to put some make-up on me to hide what he had done. She was always there to tell me to keep quiet and not tell anyone. She was very good at that. I still wonder why, why exactly I chose to defend her when I was older. Why I chose to protect her or at least try to when she didn't do it for me as a child."

"It made me believe that she felt the same way he did and she didn't want me either. My beatings, I would have taken those with a smile if one of them only once...once in my entire life told me that they love me...They never did...And that is why I struggle to say it today. The only one who ever told me she loved me was Nonna, and for years, I didn't believe her, I couldn't. It felt wrong... It felt like a lie."

"I was angry with my mother for a VERY VERY long time, especially when I was living with them. But after the whole thing with Joey happened I started to understand a bit better. I would rather get beaten everyday than have anyone else go through it. I would take it, so that no one else would have to."

"I am afraid of my own anger, because I fear that I will become my father if I get too angry. That is one thing that I fear more than being beaten or the rush of fear and the thought that I might not see the next day. That you might be beaten to death that day or night. I fear my anger, just as much as I feared my father when I was young. Until this day, I hate my father with everything in me, but I am also ashamed that I hit him, the reason I try to never fight with anyone is because my fear of the other part of me, the raging and not so sweet side of me... I fear becoming him." Frankie continued to reveal details of her past as she felt her world crumbling around her. Never in her life had she felt so vulnerable. If any one of them said anything, moved closer to her or tried to touch her, she knew she would fall to pieces right in front of them.

Once again, Bella knew exactly what to do. She led the girls out of the living room and left Alistair there with Frankie. Frankie drew the last bit of strength she had and threw herself into Alistair's arms. She cried her heart out on his shoulder.

He pulled her away for a brief second, cupped her cheek with one hand as he looked into her eyes. "I promise, from this moment on, I will always be there to protect you and as long as I have a single breath left in me, I will never let anyone hurt you again. I love you more than ever before. From now on it's just you and me, together always."

She looked at him through her tear-filled eyes and kissed him as she replied. "I love you too, always."

He picked her up, held her firmly in his arms and carried her to her bedroom. He placed her in bed, climbed in next to her, pulled her tightly to him and held her until she fell asleep.

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**Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

_I can't stress enough, how much I love and appreciate all the wonderful friends I have been blessed with. You are all spectacular and without you, I would not be who I am today. If it wasn't for you, I would probably not have been here either. You are my guardian angels, my brick walls and my saviors. I am eternally indebted to you. And will always be grateful and honored to have you by my side._

_Huge hugs and special thanks to __**Isabella Monroe**_ _and __**RandomWittering**__, my spankalicious betas. You minxes are the best. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Love ya lots and I will always be there for you. Come hell or high water, rain or shine. I will ALWAYS be there!_

_VERY Special Thank you to my spanktastic friend and partner in crime, Isabella Monroe, for helping me co-write this chapter. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you. My guardian angel with perfectly awesome set of wings and halo that might be a little tarnished but they still work brilliantly_ _**;-)**_

**HUGE** Hugs to **All the Cheeky, Spanky and Smutty Monkeys.**

**;-)**

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**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N - **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me on a daily basis. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on fav author, the story on favs, and alerts! Thank you for the wonderful reviews. They have really helped keep me on the straight and narrow._

_I know, I know. I haven't updated in a month, so sue me! LOL __**;-) **__All I can say in my own defense is that I have been busy, and this has been stressful to say the least. I hope that the next one will not take as long, and I also apologize for this chapter being a bit shorter than I normally post, but it was important to me to keep it as is. This will hopefully be the last hurdle unless the Maker declares that doomsday is upon us, if so, I am totally screwed. Anyway, Enjoy! __**;-)**_

Oh and smut alert! Don't say I didn't warn you. You have now been thoroughly warned!

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**BioWare owns Ali...Although Frankie **_**will**_ **argue.**

**Chapter 12**

Alistair lay awake in bed and watched Frankie with a smile on his face. She was oblivious to the fact that he was awake, he closed his eyes every time she moved just to make sure that it stayed that way for a little longer. He loved watching her while she typed away on her keyboard as if she was in some sort of race. Every now and again she would let out a little giggle or a snort that he found irresistible. He would hold out for as long as he could before he would surprise her by grabbing her swiftly and kissing her.

Frankie had gone through a terrible ordeal, and Alistair was having a tough time trying to understand all that she was going through. She wouldn't speak openly about all the recent events or what she had buried so deeply about her past. She would answer his questions when he asked but he knew she was holding back, trying to show him that she was strong and that she could deal with it all on her own. Needless to say he was worried, really worried about her.

She was a strong woman, there was no denying that fact. Frankie was strong willed, dedicated, and fiercely loyal. Even though she had been abused both mentally and physically by not only her father but her ex too, had a miscarriage a few months into a pregnancy, she was still standing in the end with no other support structure apart from her grandmother and her friends. To Alistair, she was nothing short of amazing. One thing that bothered him was the fact that she would always help everyone around her rather than taking care of herself or dealing with what was bothering her. It reminded him of Abby. She had been the same, her entire family had been slaughtered and she had the world's responsibility on her shoulders with the Blight, yet she would distract herself with whatever their companions needed or what was troubling them. Abby would also only tell him what was plaguing her if he asked, but she would remain quiet and reserved otherwise, never showing any sign of weakness.

Alistair knew that Frankie hid behind her humor. She would always joke something out of the way, or try and distract the other person by skillfully switching the topic back onto them just to avoid any further questions. He knew that even if she tried, she couldn't do it with him. To Alistair, she was the most important thing in his life, and she would always be the first thing on his mind.

He watched as Frankie closed her laptop and put it on the table next to the bed. In one quick movement, she rounded on him and kissed him passionately before he could close his eyes and pretend to sleep.

"Morning gorgeous, you didn't think I knew you were awake, did you?" Frankie beamed at him.

"How did you know? I thought I was being all clever about it." He pouted cutely.

"I know my knight better than he thinks, plus I could see your smile in the screen's reflection." She winked at him.

"Ah, so I was caught out by that damnable contraption, I should just toss it out the window for betraying me like that," Alistair teased. "Or I could just get my revenge by kissing you senseless,"

"If you think you can, I'm always up for a challenge," Frankie replied with a roguish grin.

He proceeded to thoroughly kiss Frankie, tickling her and causing a fit of giggles as she squirmed. Alistair knew that she was at her wits end and that every happy moment did her the world of good. If he could ease her tension and stress by making her laugh or filling her days with good thoughts and feelings, he would gladly do so. Until she was ready to deal with the aftermath of everything that was still plaguing her thoughts.

"What were you up to?" he asked after releasing his hold on her.

"I've been thinking and I made an important decision." She looked at him seriously before she continued, "I have decided to get some help in dealing with my past. I want to get beyond it and I don't want it to rule over me anymore. For years I thought that I was beyond redemption, my life was in disarray because of it. I never thought of seeking help because I always thought it was my fault, that I was the one to blame. For the abuse as much as losing my child. I blamed and still do for not protecting myself better, for not shielding myself from his blows." Frankie sighed deeply and shook her head. "I have had impossible dreams of another time, another life where I was someone else, where I was happy and didn't have to deal with any of this. I could easily hide behind my humor and only the ones who truly knew me could see through it. I am tired of running, I am ready to face it head-on and deal with it. I want a life with you, and I want to give you all that I am and I can only do that if my past isn't dragging me down anymore. I have contacted a friend of mine who is a trauma therapist. She can help me with it, I want you to be there too, if you want to."

"Of course I want to, I will be here with and for you, always. I promise you that and I love you," he said as he took her hand in his and kissed it lightly. "Tell me more about this friend, I have never heard of her before, and I must say, you really do have a lot of friends,"

"Well, in answer to your first question. Her name is Gabby and she has offered to help me in the past, I was just too stubborn to take it. Until now, I have finally opened my eyes, and I am ready to work on it. Life is about truth, lies and consequences. I am ready to face the truth, I'm done with lying to myself and it's time to face the consequences," she smiled softly. "And secondly, yes I do have a lot of friends, but there are only a few who really know me. The rest all see me as this adventurous girl who jokes a lot, does and says weird things just to entertain others. Basically, me making an ass of myself just for their enjoyment. The only ones that truly know me are right under your nose,"

"Am I one of them?" Alistair asked.

"Technically you are behind your nose but yes, of course you are one of them," she teased.

Frankie laid back and turned herself to face him, idly tracing her fingers along one of the many scars on his chest.

"You like playing with those don't you?" he asked in a teasing tone.

"I like playing with many things of yours," she grinned. "But yes, I find them... fascinating. You have so many and some of them look like they should have been fatal." she said, transfixed.

"Some of them very nearly were," Alistair snorted. "You know the kind of life I've lead, what I've had to fight. Not all sunshine and kittens unfortunately."

"Do they bother you?" she asked hesitantly.

"No they don't hurt at all now."

"No I mean, the look, knowing they are there."

"I don't think about them much to be honest, they are what they are. Like a map of what I've been through. So, got any interesting ones to show me?" he teased again.

He felt her body stiffen completely at the question, and he wondered what he'd said wrong.

"Frankie?" he asked carefully.

He didn't know what to say as she shook her head violently and scrambled out of the bed and away from him, practically running out of the door.

**xxXxx**

She ran into the bathroom, shock and fear gripping her all at once. What would he think if he saw them? She hated them herself and couldn't bear to look at them. What would he think? All the years of torture, all the years of pain. Every time she saw them she was reminded of it. She avoided them as much as she could and always made sure that they were hidden. No one but Tess and Bella had ever seen them.

She was ashamed of them, after all, they were the one shred of proof of how weak she was, how she couldn't fight back and how she was totally and completely helpless. The scars on her midsection didn't bother her as much, they had faded and weren't that bad. She had gotten used to them as time passed. The ones on her back were another story, her true horror, and one she wasn't sure she was ready to face.

Frankie turned on the tap in the shower, thinking that the serenity of the running water would help clear her mind. She got undressed and stepped into the shower. She thought of Alistair's own scars and wondered if he would understand. He had so many of his own, maybe he wouldn't find hers so disgusting. A flood of emotions overwhelmed her and Frankie slumped into the corner hugging her knees to her chest as she started to cry.

She sat there feeling a mixture of sorrow, shame, and regret for what seemed like hours when she heard the door open and close, but didn't have the nerve to look up. Alistair knelt down beside her and gently held her as she continued crying. She whispered 'I'm sorry' over and over for running out on him.

"Shhh, it's okay, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. Talk to me, let me help you. Whatever it is, you don't have to face it alone," he said softly, his voice a tender and comforting sound.

"Just hold me, hold me and tell me that everything will be alright," she pleaded.

"It will be, I will be there to make sure of it. I will be there for you and protect you, always."

She felt safe in his arms, like nothing more could hurt her. Only one last thing could ruin everything she had built, but it was time.

She looked at him with tears still rolling down her cheeks. "There is one last thing I must show you, after I do, you will know absolutely everything there is to know about me." She started to get to her feet but was off balance and Alistair helped her up. She pulled away from him reluctantly, looked him in the eyes before slowly turning around exposing her back to him. "This is what remains, this is my daily reminder of how weak I was. How I wasn't able to fight back, and how I didn't have the strength to stop it from happening again. This is what my father did to me, all on his own."

She heard the hiss of a sharp intake of breath and she flinched as he gently touched her back.

She drew a shaky breath, unable to keep it in anymore. "Why me? What did I do that was so wrong?"

She broke down into sobs and Alistair turned her around to face him again, tender fingers raising her chin so she would look at him.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Frankie. Nothing. There is not one part of what he did to you that was your responsibility. He should never have had kids, but he did. And in SPITE of everything he did to you, everything your mother let him do to you... You still grew into this amazingly funny, bright, loving woman. You have NO idea how amazing you are." Alistair pulled her into his embrace again, wrapping his arms around her and rocking her as she cried.

After a short time, he asked softly, "How old were you when it started?"

She couldn't answer at first, but her voice finally made its way out of her chest. "I was about 7 when it started. It was slow and infrequent at first but got worse as I got older. The first time he whipped me? I was 13."

She could hear Alistair's growl in his chest, and she flinched slightly at the anger in his tone until she realized he was angry FOR her, not at her. "You were a child! How were you responsible for any of it? He was an evil son of a bitch, to do that to his own flesh and blood. That it damaged you so much emotionally and physically is worse but it was NOT your fault. Never your fault. You could have been the worst and naughtiest child in the world and it still would not have been your fault." His voice broke on the last word and his arms around her grew tighter. "It happens in Ferelden too but goes unnoticed. Parents should have a duty to the children they bring into the world, to give them a safe upbringing. Children should have the right to grow up free from fear and threat. Your parents FAILED you. Not the other way round."

Frankie squeezed her eyes shut tightly, feeling as if a final taut band had loosened around her heart.

He understood.

"How do you bear your scars?" she asked.

Alistair snorted. "Frankie, scars are just the result of an injury. They do have power though, because of why, how and who they were done by. I see yours as the mark of your survival; You've been through so much and are still standing. You astound me."

Frankie hid her face against Alistair's chest, feeling as if she was finally breathing deeply after a very long time.

He kissed the top of her head. "I'm not going anywhere. I will always be here, and so will the others."

"You have no idea how thankful I am for you, for them. I don't know how I would have gotten through any of this without you all. I just... I don't know how to feel differently about my scars, how to not be ashamed of them," she said simply.

"It could be a week, a month, or even a few years before you can look at them and think 'Holy Maker, I did it, I told everyone that I was a survivor instead of a victim'. It never happens overnight, even getting this final piece out. It takes time for the power it holds over you to fade. For your thinking to change from 'why me' to 'FUCK THEM!'.

She looked up at him. "How do you know all this?" she asked.

Alistair snorted again. "Isolde then Chantry boy remember? I was always in some kind of trouble and Ferelden doesn't exactly have a policy against punishing children. Sadly, even though you do here, there are still monsters who abuse it."

Frankie looked away, her eyes unfocused. "I just wish I could have been stronger," she whispered.

"You were a child, love. How strong should you have been as a child? It should never have happened in the first place, it's as simple as that."

He turned her round again and she tried not to fight to hide herself, to let him look properly. She knew exactly what he would see, she had stared at them often enough in the mirror, wishing and wanting them to just disappear. Nine streaks overlaying each other in the middle of her back but they weren't the ones that bothered her so much, they were thinner and while you could feel them, they didn't look so bad. It was the three crossing all of those, from one side to the other. Thick and jagged and even with stitches had healed so they stood out raised and angry looking. It was those she felt were disgusting and gruesome.

She tried to hold still as he traced every one of them, familiarizing himself with the one part of her that he had never seen, that she had always kept hidden. She was trembling by the time he had finished, and he turned her again, looking deep into her eyes as he simply said, "You are beautiful Frankie, all of you."

She looked at him through burning tear-filled eyes. "I hate feeling the way I do now. Help me Alistair, please. Help me think of something else. Make me forget, if only for an hour or two. I need you."

Before he could respond, Frankie captured his lips with her own, kissing him passionately and fervently. She wanted to get lost in him, draw the strength that he saw in her. She put her arms around his neck savoring the taste of him. She teased his bottom lip begging for entry, which he willingly complied.

Frankie moved backwards, pulling him with her underneath the running water of the shower, until she had her back against the wall as the water cascaded off of them. He broke the kiss slowly and kissed her neck, down to her collarbone, to the valley between her breasts while his hand magically caressed her. Frankie pulled her fingers through his wet hair as he kissed, nipped and sucked the water droplets off of her nipples. She couldn't contain a moan from escaping her lips. He moved one of his hands across her stomach, stroking her muscles and scars gently as he made his way down.

She felt her knees getting weak as his fingers parted her folds, stroking them gently. He grabbed hold of her with the other hand and kept her steady. Frankie's breath caught in her throat as he moved his fingers into her, moving them in and out, slowly. She threw her head back, almost slamming it against the wall in her excitement, saying he was skilled would be an understatement. He was a master, and for once in her life, Frankie didn't mind being taken control over.

Alistair turned her around and slowly kissed each of her scars. "You're perfect just the way you are and you will always be beautiful to me," he breathed.

Apart from the exquisite ecstasy she was enraptured in, Frankie didn't know and couldn't understand how this wonderful and amazing man loved every part of her. He thought she was perfect, and that thought alone sent a rush of emotion rushing through her. "Words alone can't express how much I love you. You are my life, my heart and my soul. I never want to live without you." she said as she turned and faced him once more.

"And you'll never have to, I will always be here. I love you more with each day that passes."

The way his fingers were moving as his mouth was once again sucking and teasing her breasts were overwhelming her senses. She really was lost in him. He kissed and licked his way down her body until he was on his knees, and placed one of her legs over his shoulder. She gasped and pulled her fingers through his wet hair as he brought his mouth to join his fingers in their exciting torment of her sex with the running water cascading off her, only heightening her senses. He twirled his tongue around her lips as his fingers continued to drive her wild and Alistair removed them slightly, making room for his tongue. "Oh, fuck me!" Frankie almost screamed, as it all served to send her into orgasm. Even as the waves faded, he continued his exquisite torture.

Her knees started to buckle and her head started to spin. Alistair once again grabbed hold and steadied her. He continued his relentless assault on her, licking and sucking, moving his fingers slowly around her clit as she felt a second wave of ecstasy take control. She panted loudly and moaned his name as she slipped over the edge once more. Once she started to regain control of herself, Alistair made his way back up as the water fell onto his muscled form, kissing a path from her wet curls all the way to her stomach, breasts, neck until he finally reached her mouth. As their tongues danced together in a mad fury of desire and need, she could taste herself on him, tantalizing her further. Frankie moved her hand down and gripped his hard length, stroking him slowly, trying to entice him as he did her.

She quickened her pace until he pulled her hand away quickly, put his hands on her backside and scooped her up into his arms and pinning her against the wall. She wrapped her arms around his neck and as he guided himself into her, she wrapped her legs tightly around him. He eased into her, using the wall as support for both of them, his hands kneading her backside. She writhed against him as he filled her completely and there was nothing in the world but them, this moment, this connection. She moved with him as he thrust into her, feeling him glide over that sweet spot, bringing her right to the edge again. Their breaths were coming in gasps and straining together for those last few strokes, until Alistair groaned her name and she could feel his seed spilling into her, setting her off into orgasm again.

He lowered her to the ground, supporting her til he was sure she was steady before claiming her mouth again briefly. They leaned against each other as they recovered, exchanging kisses as their breathing slowed.

"Maker, I love you Frankie," Alistair said, his voice rough from the passion they had just shared.

"I love you too, even without the fantastic orgasms," she teased, making him laugh.

"Aren't showers supposed to get you clean?" He chuckled.

"Well, you have to get dirty before you get clean," Frankie said with a sated grin.

"We did plenty of that, so I guess it's time to pass the soap, or get started on round two?"

"Maker!" Frankie breathed.

"That's the first time I've ever heard you say that, so I must have made a good impression," Alistair retorted with a smug grin.

"You are perfect, my knight," she replied.

"As are you, my lady."

They took turns washing each other, playfully teasing the other as they did so. After they were done, Frankie got out of the shower, dried herself off and started to get dressed before realizing something. A grin spread across her face.

"Did you run all the way through the house, naked?"

He blushed slightly and shifted his feet. "Well I was worried about you... and it's not like Tess hasn't seen me.." He let out a breath in a grunt as Frankie elbowed him in the ribs.

"Stop trying to corrupt my Nonna!"

"I won't have any luck, even if I tried. There was an old man asking for her at the Bistro a few nights ago, apparently she told him to bugger off, but he's persistent."

"As are you, but I love you for it." She walked closer and kissed him softly. "I'll go distract Nonna, while you make another mad naked dash for the room, how's that?" Frankie said as another voice came from the other side of the door.

"It's too late, I'm already here, but just for the record, he can corrupt me all he wants as long as I can get in there. If you two are quite finished, can an old woman pee?"

Frankie started giggling. "Aww, love you too, Nonna. We'll be right out, Nekkid Ali and all."

They heard a muttering from the other side of the door which sent Frankie into giggles again, and she opened the door to see Tess facing the wall. Alistair blushed crimson, cupped himself and legged it for the bedroom, with Frankie's laughter following him all the way.

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**Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

_*****__I will now proceed to making my spanktastic betas blush and hide again. Sorry about that...no, wait...no I'm not. ;-) Thanks, huge hugs and monstrous kisses to my betas, __**RandomWittering**_ _and __**Isabella Monroe**__, for not only dealing with my crap, on days that I am being silly, stupid or a smartass, but also making sense of my weird ramblings and unique phrases. Thank you for your wise words and awesome ideas, I appreciate it more than words or any ramblings can express. You are and always will be, family to me._

_*****__And before I get a fireball up my ass for being forgetful. Just kidding. I can't possibly go without saying a special thanks to __**Pinoko K**_ _for being an awesomelicious guest-beta for me on this chapter. You rock, spectacularly! Thanks for everything, I really appreciate it astronomically._

_*I am co-authoring a story with the awesometastic Isabella Monroe. It's called Keep Holding On. Check it out asap, will ya! Here's the summary - Anders told Lady Hawke that he laid awake for 3 years thinking about her. Those would be some very interesting thoughts and fantasies...a series of one shots would do those years some justice. ht tp : / / www . fanfiction . net /s/7039437/1/Keep_Holding_On (remove the spaces)_

**HUGE** Hugs to **All the Cheeky, Spanky and Smutty Monkeys.**  
**;-)**

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**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N - **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me on a daily basis. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on fav author, the story on favs, and alerts! Thank you for the wonderful reviews. They have really helped keep me on the straight and narrow._

_I deeply and very sincerely apologize for not sending out review replies for the previous few chapters. In all honesty, your words touched me very deeply and I thank you for you support and friendship throughout this trying time. Now that the warm and fuzzy part of Frankie's tale is told, we can get back to the ritual dismemberments, shall we? I promise to start replying to all your awesome reviews once more. They and you mean the world to me._

_;-)_

* * *

**BioWare owns Ali...**

Chapter 13

As Alistair reached the bedroom, he couldn't help but chuckle at the situation he was in. He knew that Frankie had a towel that he could have wrapped around himself as he exited the bathroom, but if it meant that he could make her laugh just by acting like a fool every now and again, he would do it with a smile.

He got a towel to dry himself off with, and tried to decide what he wanted to wear. The variety of clothes and styles was still fascinating to him, even now. He reached into the closet to get his favorite black shirt and pants that Frankie loved to see him in, and jumped when he felt her warm hands wrapped around him, hugging him from behind. He still couldn't get used to how she could sneak up on him without him even knowing she was there. In Ferelden she would definitely have been a rogue.

"So you liked me running to the room in all of my naked glory, didn't you?" he asked as he turned around and pulled her close to him.

"Oh, yes. It was definitely glorious. I can't seem to keep my eyes off that delicious ass of yours." She beamed at him.

"My ass as well as the rest of me, are all yours." Before Alistair could capture her gorgeous lips with his own, the laptop beeped, interrupting what would have been another beautiful moment with the woman he loved. Alistair really wished that he could throw the blasted machine out the window.

Instead of letting Frankie go to check who the email was from, Alistair held her in place and smiled. "Oh, no you don't. You're not going anywhere until I get my kiss."

"A kiss? Is that all you want?" She replied with a mock pout.

"For the moment, yes. Why? What else would you give me?"

"Anything and everything. I'd give you the moon if you wanted it," she said sincerely.

"I don't want the moon, all I want is you. The whole world could go to the fade for all I care. As long as I have you," Alistair confessed.

"Well, you already have me, completely. You have my heart and my soul, and you always will." She lifted her head and looked him in the eyes before she planted a soft kiss on his lips. "I love you, Alistair, and that will never change. You complete me."

"I love you too, with everything I have in me," he said as he hugged her, then let her go to check her emails.

Alistair continued to get dressed. When he turned around he noticed that Frankie was looking at her screen, white as a sheet. It looked like she had seen a ghost.

"This joke is really getting old," Frankie said as she shook her head in annoyance.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"It seems like we got another email from Flemeth, and she's really getting creative this time 'cause she chose to include me too," she said as she got up and carried the laptop over to the bed so they could both look at it.

"What does it say? And is it really from her? I remember you said that Angie couldn't track it at all, like it came out of nowhere or something."

"Yes, that's true, Angie couldn't track it and I doubt she'll have any luck with this one either, but here is what our dear Flemeth has to say." She turned the laptop so that Alistair could get a better look at it as he started to read the email.

_Foolish children, you never listen. No matter what goes on in your lives, it pales in comparison to what is to come if you fail to take heed. You diminish me by ignoring my words. By crossing over to your world once again, I am breaking more rules than you can possibly imagine! But who am I but a silly old woman who talks too much. You both stand upon the precipice of change. The world fears the inevitable plummet into the abyss. Watch for that moment... and when it comes, do not hesitate to leap. It is only when you fall that you learn whether you can fly. I cannot do this again, so for the sake of all the powers that be, HEED me._

"What the hell is she on about? If this really is Flemeth, she isn't making a lot of sense," Frankie said, shaking her head.

"As far as I can remember, Flemeth never really made sense. She always spoke in riddles. Abby was the only one I knew who could make sense of whatever she was saying."

"I get what she's saying, but she is just telling us to take heed and to leap without hesitation. Giving up no other indication on what we should be doing or what her ultimate goal is. I think someone is just trying to pull a prank on us, and it's getting really old."

"Are you sure you think it's a prank. I mean, you've already said that Angie couldn't track it. Could we try to send a message back, perhaps?" Alistair asked.

"I tried that already with the previous email we got. It's as if this email address never existed. We have absolutely nothing to go on."

Alistair knew that something bigger was behind the Flemeth emails. He didn't know how, but he had an unmistakable feeling in his gut that something big was about to happen, and he couldn't help but wonder what it would mean for him and Frankie. They had been training together before the attack on her, it might be a good idea to continue it now that Frankie was almost fully healed. He wanted to learn from her as well as teach her more about sword fighting. Even though she was showing more rogue qualities than that of a warrior, he could teach her basic techniques, and she could learn more about rogue talents on the internet or with a trained instructor. He wished Zevran had been here. Besides Abby, the assassin was the best person who would be able to train Frankie. Still, he couldn't explain why he had such an urge to train her, it was this strong nagging feeling at the back of his mind that told him it was important. Whether it was just to protect herself better or something more, he couldn't tell. But a sudden urgency that took hold of him was something he couldn't ignore. He had to start taking action, and quickly.

"Whatever it is, we can figure it out together. In the meantime, do you think you are up to training again? I miss doing it with you. And since you're better now, I thought it would be the perfect time for you to teach me that spinning kick thing you do."

"You mean a roundhouse kick?" Frankie asked. When Alistair nodded, she continued, "Yes, I think with some time and effort I can teach you that and much more. I do need to vent some frustration at this whole Flemeth situation. Will you teach me more sword-play as well?"

"I'll teach you everything I know. I'd like to get started as soon as possible, but I don't want to push you into it if you're not ready," Alistair replied.

"Let's start tomorrow. I feel like having a laid back and lazy day today, how about you?"

"I was thinking that we might get a small training session in today. But seeing as you don't want to see me all hot and sweaty, I guess we can postpone it till tomorrow." He smiled before pulling her into a hug.

"Hot and sweaty huh? I think you're just looking for an excuse to see me all hot and sweaty. Especially if I wear that sports-bra you like so much." Frankie beamed.

"Ah, you got me. I am a weak, weak man. Put me out of my misery and come work up a sweat with me, please, you gorgeous goddess. I'm pleading at your feet," Alistair teased.

"Gorgeous goddess huh? Okay, we can work out a bit today, but only if you promise to help me wash off all my sweatiness afterwards." She grinned mischievously.

"It will be the greatest pleasure."

"I certainly hope so." She wiggled her brows at him.

Alistair found it strange that Frankie always trained with music playing in the background and would sing along with it as she moved. It distracted him at first but he quickly learned that if he set a tempo along with the music, it helped him to move faster and more effectively. Plus there was the added bonus of hearing her sing, even if it was soft and while she was punching and kicking a dummy, it filled his heart with endless joy.

When they first started training together, Alistair had made her two practice daggers out of wood, but it didn't take long before Frankie asked if she could practice with two longswords. She said that she could do more damage with two swords than she could with daggers, and she loved the way that the weight of the swords helped her stay more grounded. One thing Alistair knew for certain, she was a beautiful force of nature and a stunning sight to behold.

After a training session that lasted until they were both to tired to move, Frankie and Alistair spent the rest of the morning eating breakfast and chatting with Tess. He even got Frankie to play Dragon Age with him again. Alistair could admit that the game still bothered him. Although he disliked it, he felt maybe some answers would be found in it. He also wasn't happy with the thought that he had no control of his life, but he could make peace with it to a certain extent if it meant that he could see the smile on Frankie's face as she was killing some darkspawn with dual swords. It was curious to both Alistair and Frankie that they couldn't play further than the Landsmeet. Whenever they got to the part where Loghain was defeated, the game would just stop working. No matter how Frankie changed settings or looked for whatever was causing the problem, they could just not get past that stage.

"Every time I get to this critical point in the game, the damn thing keeps freezing," Frankie said in an aggravated tone.

"Freezing? How is that possible? It's not ever cold in here," Alistair asked which got Frankie giggling.

"No, not that kind of freezing. Freezing in the sense that the game stops responding at a certain point, and all I can do to get it running again is to restart the laptop and the game. But it won't let me past the Landsmeet. I can't explain why it happens but..." she said as Tess interrupted them from behind.

"Are the two of you glued to that thing? You haven't moved from that spot in over two hours. I can think of much better things to do than sit in front of that clever contraption all day," Tess said as she strolled into the room and sat on the couch opposite them.

"I bet you could Tess, although I will admit that I am afraid to ask what other things you had in mind," Alistair said with chuckle.

"I would tell you Ali'boy, but you might have a heart-attack." Tess grinned slyly at him.

"Don't even start joking about stuff like that Nonna. You still haven't told me why the doctors refused to tell us why they kept you in hospital so long. Don't think for one minute that I will just let it go. I want to know what happened and what you're hiding from me," Frankie stated.

"An old woman is entitled to her secrets, and if I thought that it was important, I would have told you already. So you can poke me all you want, young lady. You're not getting a peep out of me,"

Just as Frankie was about to retort, the doorbell rang. Alistair heard her mumble something about not being done with Tess yet as she got up and went to answer the door.

Bella walked in with a tall man that had a powerful build very similar to Alistair's, and very strong features. He had long blond hair and a goatee. Alistair could see that the man had a very charming way about him. He was the kind of man that could melt a woman just by grinning at her. Alistair could only venture a guess that the man was the infamous Tristen he has heard so much about. The man smiled at Frankie and pulled her into a bear hug.

"Hey Pookie, How are you feeling?" the man said as Frankie playfully slapped him on the shoulder.

"You know I hate it when you call me that, Mr. Ranger." Frankie smiled at him.

"Ouch! That hurt more than just my arm, Pookie. Why do you hate my little nickname for you so much? Would you prefer that I called you Jinx, like Carrie?"

"Oh, hell no! That's even worse. I've had enough bad luck already, I don't need a nickname to draw more my way." Frankie chuckled.

Frankie turned and put her arm around Alistair. "Tristen, I'd like to introduce you to Alistair. Alistair, this is Tristen."

Alistair reached out and shook Tristen's hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Tristen. I have heard a lot about you,"

"All lies, I can guarantee it. If either of these two temptresses told you anything about me, you can rest assured that whatever they accused me of doing, I was innocent on all counts."

"You weren't so innocent last night," Bella said with a sly grin.

"The bedroom doesn't count," Tristen countered.

"What about the kitchen, the dining room and the living room?" Bella counted on her fingers as she commented, "Ohhh, and let's not forget the..."

"Okay, okay, you win. Maybe I'm not so innocent." Tristen put his hands up in mock surrender.

"You can say that again. I'm surprised that my adopted granddaughter over here can still walk after that." Tess grinned at them.

"Wow, that's a lot of information considering I just met you Tristen, and the first time seeing you two together." Alistair chuckled, knowing he was going to really enjoy spending time with them.

Bella winked at him. "TMI?"

Alistair grinned back at Bella. "Never."

Bella and Tristen had come to ask them if they wanted to go ice-skating for a few hours. Alistair knew that Frankie was tired and not really in the mood to go anywhere. But because she knew he'd wanted to learn how to skate ever since Bella told him about Tristen being an ice hockey player for the New York Rangers, so she agreed to go along.

They got their gear together and left for the ice-skating rink. Alistair noticed that Frankie wasn't just close to Bella, but she and Tristen had a sort of brotherly-sisterly bond between them as well. Alistair was on the Ducati with Frankie while Tristen was driving Bella's Mercedes. They stopped at an intersection, and he wondered why Frankie stopped the bike right next to the drivers side of the Merc. As Tristen opened the window and challenged Frankie with a race to the ice-rink, Alistair started laughing. He didn't even have to see her face to know that she had a mischievous smile on it. He knew she loved a challenge. She accepted and did a spectacular job of winning the race. By the time Tristen and Bella got there, Frankie had already removed her helmet, turned herself around on the bike and wrapped her arms around Alistair in a victory hug. He loved the fact that simple things in life could bring her such joy.

"You are such a cheater. I want a rematch, but the next round I get to take the bike and you can drive the Merc," Tristen teased.

"I'm not a cheater, you're just a sore loser, but I accept. If it's okay with my sister that I drive her baby, then I will show you how it's done." Frankie looked at Bella with a questioning smile.

"Yes, it's fine with me, but if you scratch my baby, you and I will have a duel of another kind." Bella grinned.

"Ohh, Cat fight! Can I convince you to nick it just a little bit, sweetheart? I'm sure I'm not the only one who would pay to see you two duking it out," Alistair said as Frankie shook her head and giggled at him.

"Amen to that!" Tristen beamed.

Frankie surprised Alistair with his own pair of hockey skates. She helped him put them on and pulled him up to test his balance. His knees started to wobble and his ankles kept going in wonky directions as he tried to balance himself on the thin blades. He stumbled a little bit as this way of moving was a whole experience to him.

"Glad she got you real blades not those sissy figure skating skates," Tristen said as he skidded to a stop right in front of them.

Frankie showed him how to bend his knees slightly and move his feet to glide on the ice. She skated backwards, holding onto his arms to give him balance until he got used to the blades. To say that he fell on his ass a few times would be an understatement. He was just glad that Frankie was right there with him and was rolling in laughter as she fell with him a couple of times. After a while, Alistair got the hang of the whole skating thing and could manage to skate slowly from one end of the rink to the other.

Tristen motioned Alistair over to him, wanting to show him how to shoot a puck. Taking the ice hockey stick from Tristen, he looked at the weird shaped stick in his hand and smiled. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Well, you see this puck?" Alistair nodded as Tristen continued, "I need you to shoot this puck into those nets over there, like this." Tristen pulled his hockey stick back, and brought it forward onto the ice, slamming the puck into the nets.

"That looks easy enough," Alistair said as he pulled the stick back and brought it forward, only to miss the puck, lose his balance and fall to his knees.

"Easy enough huh?" Tristen chuckled as he helped him to his feet. "Here, let me show you again. Use a little more wrist, and just put a bit more snap into it, the key thing to remember is balance, and just follow through, hitting the puck dead center, like this." Tristen demonstrated once more, before placing another puck in front of Alistair. "There, let her rip."

Alistair grinned at him. "Show-off," he mumbled before trying to slam the puck once more.

After a few unsuccessful tries, Alistair got his eye and balance in, and shot a puck into the nets every time. Tristen then showed him how to skate and shoot at the same time, and before he knew it, they were playing a game one on one. Alistair was still a bit wobbly but Tristen was a good sport throughout most of the mock game until the very end when his competitive nature took over. Alistair couldn't help but chuckle as he heard Bella and Frankie cheering and commenting from the sidelines.

"He ducks pass the defender moving swiftly up the ice, passes the puck off to Alistair who doesn't have a shot, passes it back!" Frankie shouted.

Tristen circled back around, came up behind. Through Alistair's open legs, Tristen shot the puck, skated past Alistair and retrieved it again as he headed for the net. "Wow! What an amazing pass. Did you see that Frankie? Get in the fastlane Grandma, the bingo game is ready to roll... Tristen grabs the puck on the other side, strikes for the net and he shooooots and scores. Tristen is smiling like the butcher's dog," Bella commented.

"Ladies and gentleman, you would have to be here to believe it. The crowd is going crazy."

The girls made quite a spectacle as they clapped and cheered loudly. Frankie skated over to Alistair and put her arms around him. "My Hero! I better keep a close eye on you, or else some adoring fan might try to steal you away from me."

"They could try, but they would be sorely disappointed. I already have the woman of my dreams, right here in my arms," Alistair said as he kissed her softly.

"Hey Ali, How about playing a round against me? I promise not to beat your butt too badly." Bella grinned at him.

"I'd think twice if I were you, Alistair. My Ells is a terror on the ice. She beats my butt on a regular basis," Tristen said.

"I bet she does, on more than just the ice, I think. But it doesn't mean she'll be able to beat me." Alistair smiled.

"Oh, this I gotta see." Frankie giggled.

Alistair nodded and grinned. "Just don't start crying when you lose,"

They started playing as Tristen and Frankie watched, and Alistair soon discovered that Bella was quite a good hockey player herself. She skated circles around him. Alistair glanced over to Frankie and saw that she was holding on to Tristen's hockey stick as he was pulling her around on the ice.

Suddenly, there was a smack. Alistair collapsed on his knees as a rush of emotions took hold and a memory overwhelmed him. He remembered camping close to the Frostback Mountains just outside of Orzammar. There had been a frozen lake where Zevran had pulled Abby around on the frozen surface. Alistair had been unable to join in because he had gotten injured in a fight against some highwaymen, but he enjoyed seeing Abby have some fun after all they had been through. He remembered her laughter and the joy that radiated off her as she slid on the ice. There had been only a few times when he had seen her so happy and carefree.

"Alistair? Are you okay?" He looked up and saw Frankie hovering over him.

"Uhm, yes I'm fine. At least, I think I'm fine. What happened?"

"I'm so sorry, Ali. I took a shot, the puck rebounded off the post and hit you in the head. Are you sure you're okay?" Bella confessed.

"Yes, I'll live. Don't worry about it," he said as he sat up and shook his head.

"See, I told you she's a terror on the ice. She smoked you like a bad cigar and beat you like a rented mule. You should heed my warning next time." Tristen grinned.

Heed me. Those words. Flemeth. The emails. Ferelden. Alistair struggled with his thoughts as he tried to make sense of them. Was this warning a sign of some kind? Was he supposed to go back to Ferelden? The memory of Abby returned along with the meeting he'd had with her in the Fade. He was supposed to prepare himself to be King. But how could he? Was there even a way for him to go back? Would Frankie be able to go back with him if it were possible? Would she want to? All these questions kept spinning in his mind, unrelenting in their endless assault on him.

"You don't look fine, Alistair. You're as white as a sheet. Let's get you to a doctor," Frankie said as she cupped his cheek and looked at him with worry etched on her features.

"No, I don't need a doctor. I'm fine really," Alistair protested.

He had to talk to Frankie, but he had to get her alone. So Alistair did his best to convince all of them that he was fine and nothing was wrong with him. He did notice that Frankie kept looking at him as if she knew he was hiding something, but he managed to get her convinced that everything was okay.

They left the rink an hour later, and as promised, Frankie and Tristen had their race back to the apartment. Tristen and Bella took Frankie's bike, while he and Frankie got into Bella's car. Alistair sank into the low lush leather seat. The temperature had dropped a lot and Frankie hit the seat warmers.

"Oh, that's nice," Alistair purred.

Frankie laughed. "Yeah I'm sure Bella is pissed at Tristen now that she's riding on the back of the bike freezing her ass off."

Alistair laughed as Frankie peeled off the line at the light. She floored it, popped the clutch, slammed it into second as the sports car shot forward. The car was fast, but it was no match for the Ducati as Tristen masterfully weaved the bike through the traffic.

It was a tough race for Frankie because she couldn't move in and out of traffic as she could with her bike. So she tried the quiet side streets to catch up with them. She got onto a main road and started speeding up. Alistair couldn't judge how fast she was going but he knew that it was fast.

Out of nowhere, a police siren went off behind them and Frankie swore under her breath as she pulled over to the side. A police-woman got off her bike and approached Frankie's side of the car. She knocked on the window as Frankie looked at her and started grinning. Alistair recognized the woman as Carrie, Frankie's friend at the station.

"So, Russo. Do you know why I pulled you over?" Carrie smiled.

"Uhm, because of the dead bodies in the trunk?" Frankie joked.

"No, because your wit is a concealed weapon!" Carrie grinned. "I could write you a ticket for speeding like the devil was on your tail. But lucky for you, I had another reason for pulling you over."

"And what might that be? Did you start to miss me too much?"

"Yes, that too. But Tristen gave me a call and told me that you two were having a race around the city and he would appreciate it if I stalled you a bit."

"Motherfu..." Frankie shook her head laughing as Alistair interrupted.

"I gotta hand it to him. He is quite crafty," Alistair said.

"He's a dead man," Frankie teased.

"Hey! Don't start with the death threats, you're in enough trouble as it is," Carrie said.

"You can say that again. The love of my life has an unique skill for picking up trouble." Alistair beamed.

"Well lucky for you, you get to be her knight in shining armor, or a hunky outfit in this case."

The three of them talked about Frankie's upcoming trial. Frankie told Carrie that she was planning on quitting the force even if they didn't fire her. She said she was tired of always being the one who got blamed for everything, and with Tess getting older, she thought of helping out more at home and at the Bistro.

They headed back to the apartment where Alistair laughed as Frankie stormed up to Tristen, punched him in the arm and told him that she was going to kick his ass if he ever pulled a stunt like that again. After a few giggles and witty comments, they went into the apartment. Alistair saw Frankie stop dead in her tracks as she looked at a man sitting on the couch in the living room.

The man had an average build from what Alistair could see, and his facial features were very similar to Frankie's. Apart from being more masculine of course. Complete with blue eyes and dark hair. He got up, out of his seat and stalked over to Frankie with an angry look on his face.

"It's about time you showed up," the man said.

"Nicky?"

* * *

**Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

_*It is a very rare thing in this day and age to find true friends we can completely rely on and trust. Yet, when we do find such true friends, it is also so easy to take them for granted. But I would like to thank you for being my friends and making that special difference in my life. I appreciate your support and guidance, which was really needed. My life was in a hopeless situation until you swooped in and rescued me. It was my ray of hope. Your enormous faith and trust in me, gave me the strength to continue. And therefor I would thank you endlessly. You are my life, my love and most of all, my family._

_*****__An Outrageously Huge and Spectacular Thanks to my daft bat and my guardian angel with the perfectly awesome set of wings and halo that might be a little tarnished but they still work brilliantly __**;-)**__, __**RandomWittering **__and __**Isabella Monroe**__. I really appreciate your awesome skills and putting up with a little smartass like me. For always being ready to smack me when I'm being stupid. Or yelling at me to go to bed and get some sleep. You are amazing, and the bestest friends this smutty minx could ever ask for. Thank you my nearest and absolute dearest. I love ya lots and you will always be my family._

_*I can't possibly go without saying a special thanks to __**Pinoko K**__ for being an awesomelicious guest-beta for me on this chapter. You rock, spectacularly! Thanks for everything, I really appreciate it greatly._

**HUGE **Hugs to **All the Cheeky, Spanky and Smutty Monkeys.**  
**;-)**

* * *

**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me on a daily basis. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on fav author, the story on favs, and alerts!_

_This chapter is dedicate to my friends. Without you, I would be lost. You fill my days with endless joy and everlasting moments of happiness, even when you drive me crazy. ;-) I am not going to name all of you cause I am pretty sure you know who you are. So this is for all of you. You mean the world to me._

* * *

_**BioWare owns Ali...**  
_

**Chapter 14**

"Nicky?" Frankie said dumbfoundedly.

She knew he was coming home but just the sight of him almost knocked her off her feet. After years of not seeing him, she had to take a moment to make sure she wasn't just imagining him being there.

"Yes, Nicky, or did you forget what I looked like?" Nicky asked as he walked towards her with a smile.

Her own smile answered, and suddenly she felt as if the evening couldn't possibly get any better. Her brother was back, safe and sound.

She gave him a hug. "It's so good to see you! How long are you back for?"

"It's good to see you too, sis. I'm actually back for good. My tour is over and I came back to be with my family, you and Nonna," he said as he returned her hug.

They just stared at each other for a moment, hardly believing they were back in the same room again.

Nicky let her go and turned to sit on the sofa. He sighed, his face darkening slightly. She recognized that 'I'm pissed off at you' look and she said, "Okay, Nicky, what's the problem?"

"I just want to know what the hell you did to get Nonna in the hospital, beaten within an inch of her life."

Frankie was speechless for a moment. All the happiness drained out of her, suddenly replaced by anger, hurt, resentment, and all the fear she'd carried while he was on deployment in Iraq.

She finally found her voice and tried to keep a lid on her temper, but she was losing it fast. "So it's all my fault again, huh? You don't know what really happened, but as usual, you just jump to your own conclusions. At least I was here, trying my best to help Nonna and keep her safe. I wasn't the one who signed on for two more tours after my service was up."

"I have been fighting for my country, I had a duty to uphold, I wasn't hanging out with my friends instead of taking care of my family." He scowled.

"You have no idea what we've been through, so don't you dare judge me for trying to enjoy my life while I have the chance!" Frankie fumed as her anger slipped her control. "So why don't you just go back and continue to pretend we don't exist? That sounds like a good plan to me."

"Why did you lie to me, Frankie? In all the emails you sent me, you told me that everything was fine, that I had nothing to worry about. But then I got a letter from Nonna, telling me that my sister has been through hell the last couple of years, and she has finally come out and started talking about it, that she had a bastard for a boyfriend and that she had a miscarriage. To make matters worse, I got a phone call from Louise, where she told me that not only was my sister in hospital, beaten half to death, but so was my Grandmother. Do you really think I wouldn't have wanted to know that? That I wouldn't want to be here for you?"

"No, in all honesty, I didn't. You have made it your personal mission to get as far away from this family as you possibly could. You want to know why I didn't tell you? My whole life, I have protected you from everything I possibly could, but the one time I needed you... The one time I needed you to be there, you left. You left me, you left Nonna too. So why would I bother telling you anything if you're not interested? You are just the same self-centered, arrogant asshole that you've always been," she said and instantly regretted her words. She couldn't believe they were at each other's throats within minutes of them seeing each other again. But how dare he judge her when he couldn't possibly know everything that had happened.

"I was 8000 miles away, Frankie. I wanted to be here for you and Nonna, but I had a duty to protect my country. I needed to concentrate on not getting killed and that took all of my focus. I couldn't worry about things I had no control over or I could've been killed."

"I need to get out of here before I lose it," Frankie snapped, her feelings so utterly conflicted. She understood what Nicky was saying, and it terrified her that things had been so bad for him out there. She knew he had been doing what he felt was right, but damn him for accusing her of not taking care of her responsibilities, for not taking care of Nonna. She didn't know whether to hug him or throttle him, perhaps both at the same time. She needed to find some breathing room so she could clear her head and think more rationally.

Before Nicky could argue further, Alistair, Bella and Tristen entered the room behind Frankie, she turned on her heels and dashed out.

"We heard a commotion and came to see what was going on... Nicky? Is it really you?" She heard Bella say just before she got out of earshot.

She ran downstairs into the basement and into the training area. She needed to vent some of her frustration. Why did life always have something new to throw at her? Didn't she have enough punishment already? Frankie switched the radio on as she walked over to the practice dummy, and started throwing punches and kicks with all the strength she could muster.

_Want you to make me feel like I'm the only girl in the world_  
_Like I'm the only one that you'll ever love_  
_Like I'm the only one who knows your heart_  
_Only girl in the world..._  
_Like I'm the only one that's in command_  
_Coz I'm the only one who understands how to make you feel like a man_

As she took out all her anger and frustration on the dummy, she realized that she couldn't really blame her brother for leaving. She knew he had no choice. The country needed him to go and fight, and as much as it hurt, she knew that he did the right thing. She had spent her life shielding him from everything that had happened throughout their childhood, always trying to be the brave big sister for him. Was it wrong to want him to be there for her just once?

_Want you to make me feel like I'm the only girl in the world_  
_Like I'm the only one that you'll ever love_  
_Like I'm the only one who knows your heart_  
_Only girl in the world..._

Frankie ran her fingers through her hair and let out a frustrated sigh. She had to talk to Nicky, to clear the air and get everything out. She loved her brother. Whatever else had happened between them, they were family and always would be. She just didn't know how to make him understand, she didn't even know where to start. Frankie knew that she would make things worse if she talked to him before they both had a chance to cool down. She decided to return to her dummy beating session, just to get all her frustration out before going back and talking to Nicky. As she took position in front of the dummy, she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"You are, you know," Alistair said as he made his way down the stairs towards her.

"I am what, exactly?" she asked curiously as she tried to control the anger in her voice. She didn't want to take out her frustrations on Alistair.

"Listen to the song. You are that to me, and so much more," he said as he started dancing and singing his way over to her.

_I Want to make you feel like you're the only girl in the world_  
_Like you're the only one that I'll ever love_  
_Like you're the only one who knows my heart_  
_Only girl in the world..._  
_Like you're the only one that's in command_  
_Coz you're the only one who understands how to make me feel like a man_  
_I Want to make you feel like you're the only girl in the world_  
_Like you're the only one that I'll ever love_  
_Like you're the only one who knows my heart_  
_Only girl in the world..._

She couldn't help but smile at his antics. He always knew just how to cheer her up, always had a way of making everything better, no matter what they were facing. Frankie stood there and watched as Alistair danced his way over to her, in the same way as he learned to dance at the club. She had to give him credit, he was getting very good at it.

"What did I do to deserve you?" Frankie asked as he pulled her close to him and continued dancing.

"Are you kidding? You've had me from the first night you kicked my ass and tried to arrest me. With one swoop, you had my heart. That is saying a lot because I used to be a firm believer that swooping is bad."

She turned her face to look him in the eyes, smiling softly as she whispered, "I love you," before she kissed him. Never in her life had she ever met a man like him. Alistair had a way of making her forget the outside world and all the troubles that came along with it. She felt safe and loved in his arms.

"I'm sorry for running out of there so fast. I just had to get away," Frankie said

"I love you too, and you don't have to explain anything. I know you needed some space. Besides, Bella had a good talk with your brother, and he seems to understand now. So the two of you just need to kiss and make up," he said as he brought his lips to hers and kissed her. "But I will be stealing the kissing part of that make up session."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, but what do you mean, Bella had a good talk with him?" she asked.

"Well, after you stormed out, I wanted to know what he had said to upset you. He got a bit uptight about a stranger asking him all sorts of questions, so Bella sat us all down and told your brother what had happened over the last couple of months, about the attack, the hospital and all that. She told him to at least give you a chance to talk things over with him before jumping to conclusions, and if he couldn't behave himself, she would kick his ass," he said as he grinned at her.

"She always did know how to put him in his place." Frankie giggled.

Frankie and Alistair finished their dance, and as they made their way back to the stairs, Nicky entered the room. "I'm sorry, Frankie. I shouldn't have lost my cool with you like that. You've been through enough and I don't need to add to that," he said sadly. "Can we talk privately for a bit? I know that Alistair is part of your life now, but I just want to have some catch up time with my sis, if that's okay?"

"Only if my lovely lady gives me a kiss first." Alistair grinned as Frankie leaned over and kissed him.

Nicky smiled. "Yip, Bells was right. You are perfect for each other. I'd still like to know how you two met before I launch into my brotherly speech of how I'll break his kneecaps if he hurts you." Nicky joked.

"Trust me when I say that he is one of a kind." Frankie smiled.

"Does that mean my kneecaps are safe?" Alistair teased.

"Most definitely. I bet you'll even be able to give him a good ass kicking for being a smartass," Frankie joked as Alistair hugged her then made his way out the room to get changed for dinner.

Frankie smiled as Alistair disappeared then looked at her brother. She went and curled up at one end of the old sofa, Nicky taking the other end so he could face her.

"So tell me, how did you meet Alistair? Bella wouldn't tell me, made it seem like there was some big mystery," he said with a raised eyebrow.

Frankie gave a half laugh and couldn't think where to begin. "It's not a big mystery but it might be hard to believe." She fell silent, thinking again.

"Nick, do you remember what my favorite Meg Ryan movie is?"

"Remember it? I have every line memorized because of all the times you watched 'Kate & Leopold'."

"Well, the thing that mesmerized me about that movie was the fantasy that time, distance or reality couldn't keep true love apart..."

"Mmm I seem to remember teasing you that it would have to be someone from a different reality to live up to your expectations."

"Funny thing, turns out you were right."

Nicky burst out laughing. "Right so Alistair is from a different reality? Good one, sis!"

Frankie looked at him, nodded with a slight smile on her face. "Uhm... I'm not kidding. You should have seen the the look on my face when I found out. I was just about ready to call the men in white coats myself."

"You can't be serious? You are! Fuck me! Frankie, what makes you believe that?"

"You remember the times we spoke on video chat, I was raving about a game called Dragon Age? Well I don't know how, or why but... Alistair is the Alistair from there."

"Your new boyfriend is the King of Ferelden? Or is he just the Warden who melts your heart when he says 'I still found myself falling for you in between all the fighting and everything else'?" Nicky burst out laughing.

"Yeah, I think I talked about it way too much!" Frankie muttered.

"Look, wait here, I'll be right back," she said, got up and disappeared up the stairs. She grabbed her laptop and returned to the basement. She ignored Nicky's bemused expression and loaded up the game to a save where she had the character of Alistair at a conversation point and handed it to him. He clicked a few times and jumped as the familiar voice sounded, looking closer at the screen.

"No. Freaking. Way," he said.

"Still think I'm nuts?" she asked with a grin.

He closed the laptop and sat back, stunned. "Well if you are, I am too. My god, Frankie."

"Yeah that's about the expression I had." She laughed.

She talked about the night they met, and the shocking revelation, what they had done to figure out that he was the actual Alistair from Dragon Age. Frankie admitted that she loved Alistair with every fiber of her being, that he was special and she would do almost anything for him. She also admitted to her brother that she didn't think she would be able to bear it if he ever had to leave. Frankie always wondered if the possibilities were there. If Alistair could go back to Ferelden, would he want to? Would he just leave her?

"I wanna see him in this suit of armor," he said.

"Hah, just ask, I'm sure he would love to show you," she said with a smile.

Nicky was still shaking his head in wonder and Frankie watched him, so many questions crowding her head, things she wanted to say.

"What was it like? Over there," she asked softly.

Nicky's face shuttered instantly. He was quiet for a few moments before saying, "Hard to talk about."

"Trust me, I understand that. I'm here if, or when, you want to talk." She was quiet for a few moments. "I have a lot to tell you, some you know, but the rest will be hard to hear. I tried to shield you as much as I could and maybe that was the wrong thing to do, I don't know, but you were my little brother, I didn't want you to see or experience that."

"When you are ready, sis, I'm not going anywhere," he said simply.

Frankie half laughed. "I think it will be a while before I can believe that."

"I get that, I know it must have felt like I abandoned you but I didn't. In my way, I was protecting you, fighting for our country to keep you safe. I believed so strongly in what I had to do. Maybe because I was helpless to do it while I was here. But Frankie, it's not about what happened in the past, or what you think might happen in the future. It's about the ride, for fuck sake. There is no point in going through all this crap, if you are not going to enjoy the ride. And you know what... when you least expect it, something great might come along. Something better then you even planned for," Nicky said just before he pulled her into a hug.

"Why the sudden change of heart, Nicks?" Frankie asked.

"Let's just say, I only heard half the story before, and assumed the worst again," Nicky said.

"You mean you assumed that it was all my fault, again?"

"Yes, I'm not proud of it, but I did." He sighed.

"You know what they say about assumption. It's the mother of all fuck-ups." She smiled at him.

"At least one of us hasn't forgotten what Nonna taught us," Nicky said solemnly.

"As if she'd ever let me forget."

They made their way upstairs to get dressed for dinner. Frankie felt a little more at peace with herself. She knew that her brother wasn't going to leave again. That thought alone gave her comfort. Before Alistair came along, Frankie always thought that the only thing men were good for was to break your heart, hurt you and leave. Alistair opened her eyes, and for the first time in her life, she believed that the future could only get better.

**xxXxx**

As they entered the Bistro, Frankie saw Bella and Tristen waving them over to their favorite table. Frankie and Alistair made their way over to them as Nicky walked over to the bar to order a round of drinks and greet Tess.

"Did you guys have a nice chat or do I need to kick his ass?" Bella asked with the hint of a smile playing on her lips.

"Yes, we did, and no, no ass-kicking will be needed just yet, but thanks for that anyway." Frankie grinned. "He did sort of freak out when I told him who Alistair was and where he came from."

"Oh, really? That must have been quite a shock for him," Tristen said.

"It was even funnier when he walked over to Alistair and kept poking him." Frankie grinned.

"Yes, so much fun," Alistair said dryly. "A little warning would have been nice though."

"Aside from the shock, I think it was even tougher to convince him that I'm not insane than it was explaining the whole 'Ali is real' deal to all of you..."

"Wait... you're not insane? You really had me fooled." Tristen chuckled.

"Well, you're one to talk. What sane person puts Bella on the back of a bike, races through the city in forty degree temperatures, and calls in a favor with a cop to have me pulled over? You aren't exactly playing with a full deck either. I think it's one too many hockey pucks to that pretty head of yours," Frankie retorted.

"Well at least you acknowledged the pretty part," Tristen countered.

"Someone had to give you an offhanded ego boost, who better than me?"

"And he somehow managed to gloss over the 'too many pucks to the head' part," Bella said.

Frankie noticed her brother walking back to the table with CC hooked on his arm. CC had the biggest smile on her face, Frankie could have sworn she looked like she had just won the lottery.

"Well, I see it didn't take you long to find the prettiest girl in here." Tristen smiled as Bella smacked him on the shoulder. "Ouch! I meant the second prettiest."

"You are walking a dangerous line there, Tristen, and if you're not careful someone might steal your lovely lady out from under you." Nicky chuckled then added, "Figuratively and literally,"

"Oh, and you think you're man enough to do it? From what I hear you had your chance and blew it." Tristen grinned broadly.

"Oh, Ouch! I gotta tell ya, brother, you had that one coming." Frankie chuckled.

"And just to set the record straight, no one will be stealing anything from me. I know just how to keep my Ells happy, satisfied, and begging for more," Tristen said as he grasped Bella's hand, brought it to his lips and kissed the sensitive part of her palm.

Alistair noticed Bella shiver and chuckled. "Well the man is obviously doing something right."

"Well then, please share your secret, almighty love guru, 'cause I've never known a woman to be all three of those things at the same time." Nicky chuckled.

"Well then you aren't trying hard enough, bro. Being a love guru ain't easy, but the rewards are definitely worth it," Tristen replied as his hand slipped under the table and he gently squeezed Bella's thigh. She smiled and gave him a knowing wink.

"Aaah, excuse me, but I don't know if you two have noticed there are other people here at this table," Frankie said with a feigned look of disgust.

"You have room to talk... I can't see Ali's hands on the table. Where might those hands be, I wonder?"

"I think I'm going to be sick," Nicky said as he made a gagging noise.

CC smacked his arm. "You aren't winning any points here, dude. They have what everyone is looking for."

They ate dinner and drank some wine as the merriment continued. Nicky and CC were flirting mercilessly with each other, and Frankie could once again see that her brother's charm was still a very big part of his character. She knew that he wasn't really the playboy he made himself out to be. He was a kind and gentle soul who would walk to the end of the earth for someone he loved.

As they relaxed over cappuccinos and tiramisu, Tess finally made her way out of the kitchen and over to their table. She had biggest grin on her face as joined them at that table.

"Nonna, you're smiling like the butcher's dog. What's up?" Nicky asked.

"It just makes this old woman's heart sings with joy to have her loved ones once again gathered around the same table, breaking bread, sipping wine and enjoying each other's company."

Frankie smiled at her grandmother. "Oh Nonna, you're so easy to please."

"When you get to be my age you learn that it is the little things in life that bring the most joy. This calls for a toast." Tess motioned to the bartender. He nodded with understanding and then approached the table a few minutes later with a bottle of lemoncello and seven aperitif glasses. The bartender filled glasses and then quickly left the table.

Tess raised her glass and everyone at the table did the same. "Passione può, amore, stima sempre legano gli uni agli altri in questo giorno e tutti quelli a venire."

With her glass still raised Frankie translated the the toast, "May passion, love, and esteem always bind you to each other on this day and all those to come."

They all clinked their glasses together and said, "Salute!"

"That is beautiful. Was that Italian?" Alistair asked.

"Si," Frankie replied.

Alistair smiled. "It's very sexy. Say something else."

"Sono anni che ti stavo cercando. Sei come l'acqua nel deserto. Hai dato un senso alla mia vita," Frankie purred.

"That sounds wonderful... it's like music as it rolls off of your tongue. What did you say?" Alistair asked.

Before Frankie could reply Bella swept her into her arms, brushed her hair back and with feigned passion said, "I have been searching for you for years. You are like water in the desert. You have given sense to my life."

Frankie giggled and looked over a Alistair. "What she said."

"Hey now, ladies don't stop on our account." Tristen chuckled.

"Italian is such a romantic language," Alistair said.

"I could say suck my balls and Italian would make it sound good," Nicky stated.

Tess chuckled. "That is very true."

"Somehow I doubt that," Alistair said.

"La lingua e' il cazzo dei vecchi," Tess said calmly.

"Nonna!" Frankie exclaimed as both Bella and Nicky burst out laughing.

"What did she say?" Alistair asked.

Frankie turned three shades of red and was completely unable to answer the question.

Bella smiled as she translated, "'The tongue is the elder's dick'... God bless you, old woman. That's why I love you so much."

Alistair burst out laughing. "Oh Tess, there is never a dull moment with you around."

"Speaking of dull moments, when was the last time you sang in the Bistro, Nonna?" Nicky asked.

"It's been quite some time, my boy. I like it more when Frankie or Bella entertain all of us with their beautiful voices. Maybe you should try and charm one of them into singing for you," Tess said.

"Oh, no Nonna. Not tonight. Tonight is the first time we've all been together in quite some time. I want to hear you sing too. And besides, Mr. Mancini hasn't been able to keep his eyes off of you all night. Is there something you're not telling us, by chance?" Frankie grinned.

"Don't be daft, Cesca. What would I want with him? I have had a long life with my husband and I've raised my children. I am in no mood to go chasing romance at my age anymore."

"Oh, come on, old girl. Where's the harm in having a little bit of fun. Nobody said you should marry him. Who knows, you might be able to teach us a thing or two." Nicky beamed.

Before Tess could retort, Alistair interrupted with a low whistle. "Well, well, well. I am learning quite a lot about the Russos tonight, and I for one would also love to hear Tess sing. I'm sure Mister Mancini over there would love it too."

"No way, so just forget about it," Tess said stubbornly.

"Okay Nonna, I'll tell ya what. If you sing tonight, I promise to sing any other night you ask me to for a whole month, and I'll even drag Bella with me just to make it extra special for you. How's that?" Frankie asked.

"Trying to bribe your Nonna now? Okay, I'll bite, but you are not gonna be backing out of that one. I'll make sure of it. I want you two to really pull a rabbit out of your hats when I do ask you to do it. Does that work for you?" Tess grinned.

"Hey, since when am I part of this deal?" Bella asked.

"If you want this old lady to show you a trick or two, you have no choice but to agree. So it all depends on how badly you want to hear me sing."

Bella grinned and winked at Frankie. "Looks like we've got her backed into a corner now. So I agree."

"You lot had this planned from the start, didn't you? I should have known you two would try to out fox me some time." Tess shook her head as Frankie and Bella very innocently looked everywhere except at Tess.

Frankie watched her grandmother very gracefully got up and informed them that she'll be showing them how it's done as she turned around and walked up to the stage. She picked up the mic, smiled brightly at her family before addressing the crowd.

"I bet you never thought you'd see this huh? What is the old woman doing on the stage, you may ask." She chuckled. "I am here because I own this place, and my family asked me to entertain them with a song, so if you don't like it, tough cannolli's to you."

Tess glanced around the stage. "Boy, where's a sexy young piano player when you need one? Oh well, I guess I'll just have to make do," she teased just before the music started to play overhead.

_Good times and bum times. I've seen them all, and my dear, I'm still here._  
_Plush velvet sometimes, sometimes just pretzels and beer, but I'm here._  
_Ten years of braces, voice and tap, touring in places off the map._  
_Giving auditions on Zanick's lap. Never fear._  
_My mother drew up the contract, so I'm here._

_I've done commercials and club dates and talk shows._  
_Gee, that was fun and a half._  
_When you've done commercials and club dates and talk shows,_  
_anything else is a laugh!_

_First you're another true blue tramp,_  
_Then someone's mother, then you're camp._  
_Then you career from career to career._  
_I'm feeling transcendental, am I here?_

Frankie loved seeing her Nonna sing. It always brought such joy to her heart. Nonna would always make a huge show of it, not only did she have an amazing voice but she had a natural charm and charisma that she captured an audience with. Even at her age, she still knew how to wow the crowd.

_I've gotten though, "Hey lady, aren't you whoo-zis?_  
_Wow! What a looker you were,"_  
_Or, better yet, "Sorry, I thought you were whoo-zis._  
_What ever happened to her?"_

_Good times and bum times, I've seen them all, and my dear, I'm still here._  
_Smooth sailin' sometimes, sometimes a kick in the rear! But I'm here._  
_I've run the gamut A to Z, three cheers and dammit, C'est la vie!_  
_I got through all of last year, and I'm here._  
_Look who's here! I'm still here!_

Tess gracefully walked off the stage as the entire Bistro applauded and gave her a standing ovation, shouting 'encore' as she passed by. She walked back to the table and looked at Frankie with a broad grin. "Now you owe me some singing," she teased.

"You said not tonight, Nonna," Frankie reminded.

"No, not tonight, but very soon. Just make sure that Bella is with you when I call for some singing."

Frankie glanced over to her friend as she asked, "She really has us over a barrel now, doesn't she?"

"All we need now is some butter. All thanks to you, I might add," Bella joked.

"I'm certainly looking forward to it." Alistair smiled.

"I'm with ya there." Tristen grinned and Nicky nodded in agreement.

As the last round of coffee was being served, the topic of discussion shifted to the war in Iraq and how much action Nicky had seen on his tours. Frankie could see the haunted expression on her brother's face and knew that it must have been the most horrifying experience he had ever had. He steered the conversation to lighter topics like places he has seen and people he had met.

"You wouldn't believe the new fighting techniques I picked up. My skill in Tai-Chi alone is ten times better then it was before I left," Nicky said with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Well, G.I. Nick, when are we sparring? I want to learn some of those new moves of yours and see if I can still give you a run for your money with the new tricks I have up my sleeve." Frankie smiled roguishly.

"More fighting skills? Would you be willing to teach me as well?" Alistair asked.

"Yes, I could. If you have the basics down already. You can be my new sparring partner too. I can test if I am able to take you and my sister on at the same time."

"Excellent. I'm looking forward to that." Alistair smiled.

Frankie grinned and winked at Alistair. "Alistair and I have been sparring together and he has taught me a lot more about fighting. You should see him in action."

"I can't teach her everything I know unfortunately. Your sister has the flexibility and agility of a rogue fighter, and I'm a warrior, so..."

"Hey can you teach me too?" Bella piped up enthusiastically.

"Oh great. That is just what she needs, one more thing in her arsenal to beat me up with," Tristen said.

"You love it rough and you know it," Bella countered.

Nicky laughed. "I don't see why not, you too if you want, Tristen?"

"I'm more of a lover than a fighter." The man grinned back.

"I think the guys you flatten on the ice would disagree, but the lover part, oh yes!" Bella purred.

The group broke out into laughter and catcalls that would make a stripper blush, even Tess threw in a few comments.

The rest of the evening flew past, fun banter between everyone, and as the last glass was emptied, Frankie was almost glad she would soon be home and in bed with Alistair. She couldn't think of a better ending for an almost perfect day.

They got home and bid Nicky and Tess good night before retreating to the peaceful and silent serenity of their room, where they showed their love and unending devotion to one another until Frankie fell asleep in the arms of the man she loved.

**xxXxx**

_Frankie was dancing with a little girl in her arms. She couldn't see the child's features but she knew instinctively they held elements of her own face. The music was soft, orchestral, and they spun and twirled together. The child giggled with glee everytime she was swung around. One more spin and suddenly she was alone. The scene had changed entirely._

_The music had gone and she was standing in a place that was oddly familiar. The campsite in Ferelden, she realized... But it was empty and had a disturbingly abandoned feel to it. _

_"Hello, Frankie," came a feminine voice from behind her._

_Frankie spun round and was startled at the sight of the woman in front of her. It was almost like looking into a mirror, except for minor differences, but it was still extremely uncanny._

_"Uhm... Hello to you too," Frankie replied, still amazed._

_"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you, but I don't have much time. My name is.. was..."_

_"Abby..." Frankie finished breathily. There was a slight catch in her throat at seeing Alistair's first love, standing right in front of her._

_"Yes, I was Abby," the woman confirmed._

_"How are you doing this?" Frankie asked in amazement._

_"Trust me, you don't really want to know the answer to that," Abby said with a wry smile. "It still makes my head hurt when I try to figure it out."_

_"So this is the Fade, huh?" Frankie asked lamely, unsure what to say._

_"In essence, yes."_

_"So... I assume you brought me here for a reason? But why me?"_

_"You are the one that Alistair is supposed to be with. You share his soul, in a way. It allows me to enter your dreams. As for the reason. It's simple. You have to get Alistair back to Ferelden."_

_"What? Why?"_

_"Because if he doesn't go back, it will be catastrophic for the future of both worlds." Abby's face was serious and a little sad._

_"Why?" Frankie asked again, bewildered._

_Abby sighed wistfully. "I wish I could tell you that. I wish I knew it all."_

_"I don't think he will leave without me... I'm sorry if that hurts you."_

_"Don't be sorry. I'm happy he has found someone to be with, someone who is his match in every way. And I know he won't go back without you, which is why you need to go too... to correct the mistake."_

_"What mistake?" Frankie asked, starting to get a little agitated._

_"I'm running out of time. I'm sorry I can't explain further, but the fate of everything rests on Alistair being back in Ferelden. Please, get him back."_

_"I love him and would do everything I can to help him, but I don't know if I can just leave my family behind and go running off to Ferelden. How do we even get there anyway?"_

_"A leap of faith," came the distant voice._

Everything faded and suddenly Frankie was wide awake in the dark of the bedroom.

"What the fuck was that all about?" she whispered in disbelief.

* * *

**Songs in this chapter -**  
_Rihanna - Only Girl in the World_  
_Shirley MacLaine - I'm Still Here_

* * *

**Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

A special and HUGE thanks goes out to my friends and betas, _**Isabella Monroe**_, _**RandomWittering**_ and _**Pinoko K**_, not only for always being there for me but also for making it seem as if I know what I am doing in life as well as this story. I love you all endlessly.

**To Isabella:** _Vi ringrazio dal profondo del mio cuore, il mio angelo custode. Hai toccato la mia vita in più modi. E sono grato di averti nella mia vita. Vuoi dire di più per me quanto le parole possano dire._

**To Random:** _Ich danke Ihnen von ganzem Herzen, mein lieber Freund. Sie bedeutet mir mehr als Worte sagen können._

**To Pinoko:** 私の親愛なる友人、私の心の底からありがとう。は、1つ以上の方法で私の人生を触れている。そして私は私の人生であなたを持って感謝しています。

I would like to send huge hugs and a truckload of kisses to _**Isabella Monroe **_for letting me use and abuse her Tristen (In more ways than one) *Cute little giggle while hiding my whip* ;-)

I am EXTREMELY humbled and grateful to my awesomelicious friend, _**Bonkzy**_. She has drawn the most amazing works of art for me. Both made me squee and dance around like a nut with the biggest smile on my face. THANK YOU SO MUCH BONKZY! Do yourself a fav and check her out on DeviantArt.

ht tp : / / jellybonkerz . deviantart . com / art / Frankie-and-Alistair-228227335?fullview=1

ht tp : / / jellybonkerz . deviantart . com / gallery / 30994042#/d3jpp6s

**HUGE **Hugs to **All the Cheeky, Spanky and Smutty Monkeys.**  
**;-)**

* * *

**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me on a daily basis. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on fav author, the story on favs, and alerts!_

_Sorry that this update took so long. I was extremely busy these past few weeks. Give a minx a break, and halt the death threats 'cause ch16 is being written as we speak. ** ;**__**-)**_

* * *

**BioWare owns Ali...**

**Chapter 15**

Alistair woke to find Frankie pacing, looking as if she'd seen a ghost. One minute she would pace as if to wear out the carpet, then the next she would drop in to the chair, running her fingers through her hair, and let out a frustrated sigh as she usually did when something was really troubling her. Alistair found it both amusing and alarming. One thing he had learned quickly was that the best way to defuse her from her troubled thoughts was to make her laugh first, then try to figure out what the problem was. She had been through a very tough time in the past couple of months, but she still didn't see how strong she really was. He was adamant to do anything it would take to make her see that she was fearless and determined. She was a Goddess, in his eyes, and he wanted her to be able to see herself that way too.

"Good morning, beautiful. Why aren't you laying next to me where it's nice and comfy? Aren't you getting cold?"

"Good morning, handsome. I didn't realize you were awake. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, you didn't, but you look troubled. Why are you wearing out the carpet when you could be here snuggling with me?" he asked.

"Don't even get me started. The only thing I want is to snuggle up with you and not think of anything else." She walked over and sat next to him on the bed.

"What's wrong? You look like a hamster on crack."

"Well, geez, thanks. Did Nicky teach you that?" She giggled.

"No, actually. Tristen taught me that. Although I still don't know what a hamster on crack really looks like, but that's beside the point. What's wrong?"  
She anxiously ran her hand through her hair. She started to get up from the bed to resume her pacing when Alistair grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down beside him. "Tell me, Love, what is bothering you."

She let out a long sigh before she began, "This is crazy. You're going to think I'm crazy, hell I think I'm crazy..."

Alistair cupped her face and forced her to look at him. "I love you, craziness and all, that will never change. Now tell me."

"I had this dream that kind of rattled the hell out of me."

"A big boogie man bothering you in your sleep? I'll teach him a lesson. No one messes with the love of my life."

Frankie chuckled softly. "If only it were. I'm sure you'd give him a good ass-kicking." She looked straight into his eyes as she continued, "I... I had a dream about Abby..."

Alistair's face froze in shock. _How could she have dreamt of Abby? How was it possible, and what would be the reason behind it all? Could it possibly be real?_ All his past memories flooded back like a tidal wave, jumbling the memories of his past life and his life with Frankie. The times he shared with Abby, the Landsmeet, and the Archdemon. He had to know more, even if he was afraid to ask. "Abby? As in _the_ Abby?"

Frankie nodded. "I was in the campsite of the game, or the Fade, whatever you wanna call it. It was abandoned except for me and Abby. She spoke to me and told me things, but it's all still a jumbled mess. I don't know whether to believe it was real or if it was just a freaky dream caused by my own insecurities. It was just a dream after all, and yet it has me completely on edge."

"Tell me about it. Everything that happened and everything she said. Once it's all laid out, we can try to figure it all out and make sense of it."

He sat and listened patiently as she told him everything that Abby had said, as well as all the unanswered questions she still had. He could sense that she was struggling with something else as well.

"Okay, let's say that it was real. She told you that you need to send me back to Ferelden, but she didn't tell you how, apart from saying 'a leap of faith'. How does she even know if I want to go back?"

"She just said that the fate of both worlds depends on you going back. I didn't get the impression that you really have a choice in the matter."

"But I do have a choice and if it's so bloody earth shattering, why is she appearing to you and not me? It is my life we are talking about."

"I don't know, Alistair, I honestly don't know."

"I am not leaving. I want to stay here and grow old with you. I'm happy here and I don't care what happens. I am not going anywhere without you, so if she can't work that into the plan then the world could come to an end for all I care. I am not going back without you, and that's the end of it."

Alistair realized how selfish he sounded at that particular moment, but he didn't care. He never wanted Frankie to even have the slightest thought that he would ever leave her. Life without her would be no life at all, no matter where he was. He could see the underlying question in her eyes before she asked it.

"Don't you miss Ferelden at all? The life you had even with the Blight. Wouldn't you want to go back to the way it was?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes, at times I do miss it and I do wonder what I could have done differently if I had the opportunity to change anything."

"I can only imagine how you must be feeling. Being stuck between here and there. Not knowing which direction your life should take or which choice is right and which is wrong."

"It's not simple, I'll say that much. Even if I wanted to go back to Ferelden, if there was a way, I don't know whether I would want to go back and be King. I want to share my life with you. You are what's important to me. I wouldn't want to be anywhere if you're not with me."

"I wouldn't want to live without you either. I don't know whether I should take this dream seriously, or if it was just my mind playing tricks on me. If the dream was real, I'm sure Abby would have left some clue as to how we could get you back to Ferelden, or even an explanation as to why you have to go. Not just leave cryptic clues and hope we know what they mean."

"There's nothing we can do about it right now. Not with the limited information we have at the moment. So I say, we just live our lives and see what the future brings."

Alistair was worried about what it all meant, but in truth, he didn't want to think about what it would mean if Frankie's dream and all his previous visions and fade dreams had been real. It all had happened, he could admit that, but none of it gave him any clue which direction he should take or which choice he was suppose to make in order to find answers to his questions. It all left him more confused than when he first came to New York.

They took a shower and had breakfast with Tess and Nicky. Alistair was amused to see Frankie and Nicky argue about which BioWare game was better: Dragon Age or Mass Effect. Frankie was adamant that Dragon Age was the best, while Nicky kept telling her that his Commander Shepard would kick her Warden's ass in a fight. Tess occasionally piped up by telling both of them that they were acting like idiots. But seeing the siblings argue over little things and joke with each other a few minutes later was one of the things Alistair admired most about them. Their closeness radiated off of them.

After breakfast they agreed to go and train for a while. Frankie took Tess to the Bistro and promised to join them as soon as she got back. Alistair was very eager to learn some new fighting techniques, and he couldn't wait to get started. He was pleased to discover that like Frankie, Nicky also liked to train with music in the background. He said that it helped him focus, and even while in a real fight, he'd allow his body to follow the rhythm of a song in order to move more smoothly and keep his body in sync with his next strike on his opponent.

Nicky took a stance and instructed Alistair to to follow his movements. He told Alistair that it was a tai-chi exercise that promoted spiritual healing. It created a reservoir of energy within his body that enabled him to fight longer without getting fatigued. It would help him stay centered as he learned new ways to fight and use his body to its best potential.

"What are you laughing about, old man?" Nicky asked.

"Hey! I'm not old, and I'm laughing because this feels more like a dance than an exercise,"

"Laugh it up all you want, you'll be moaning and groaning tomorrow morning."

"Ha! I highly doubt that."

"Wait and see, that's all I'm saying." Nicky chuckled. "Now try and keep up the pace, or I will really start calling you old."

Alistair felt like a fish out of water as he tried to keep up with Nicky. His movements were smooth yet quick, making it almost impossible for Alistair to follow every move he made. He kept pushing himself to try harder, until he could finally got most of the exercise done without breaking his neck or any other part of his anatomy, all while hoping that Frankie would be back soon to offer some moral support.

**xxXxx**

As Frankie got back to the apartment, she was pleased to discover that Alistair and Nicky were still down in the training room. She changed into her training gear before heading downstairs to join them. As she walked down the flight of stairs she heard something crash. She raced down to find Alistair, laying on the ground and Nicky standing over him in a fit of laughter.

"What the hell did you do this time? Can't I leave you alone with Alistair for one minute without you trying to get him to do something silly for your own amusement?" she asked.

"Don't blame me, dear Sister. He's the one who wanted to impress you by showing you that he could do a roundhouse kick. It's not my fault he missed the kick and landed on the boxes of Nonna's good china." Nicky chuckled.

"I'm gonna make sure that Nonna kicks your ass for that," Frankie said as she bent down to help Alistair into a sitting position and made sure he's okay.

Of all the dumbass things her brother had done in the past, he never failed to come up with something new to laugh about. Luckily, Alistair hadn't been hurt by attempting that kick, and Frankie had to give him credit for trying. Although they were going to be facing an Archdemon in the form of Nonna once she found out what happened to her antique crockery collection. Frankie was not looking forward to that. Once all the smashed china had been scooped up, they continued with their training session while trying to think of a way to slip the little incident past the wrath of Nonna, or find a way to replace it quickly.

Frankie was impressed by how quickly Alistair had learned to follow each move that they both made, even if he missed one or two in the beginning. Nicky taught her a few new techniques that he had picked up during his time away. She was thankful that those moves didn't require a lot of effort and didn't need hours of practice to perfect them.

She watched as Alistair taught Nicky how to fight with a sword and shield, how to block upcoming attacks, and how to move in order to inflict the most damage on the opponent. Frankie couldn't help but laugh as Alistair knocked Nicky flat on his back a couple of times and managed, one time, to accidentally hit him in the head with a shield.

"Yeah, yeah, keep laughing. We'll see how well you do when you have to fight like this," Nicky said.

"I bet I'll be able to teach you a lesson." She giggled.

"Put your money where your mouth is. If you think you can beat me, that is."

"As much as I would love to prove it, I can't right now. I have to wait for Bella to get here. I can't use all my energy on you and have none left to train with her."

"Admit it, you're just scared you'll lose, and look bad in front of loverboy over here." Nicky tilted his head towards Alistair.

"She'll never look bad in front of me and she already knows how to fight like I do. How do you think I determined that she would be more capable as a rogue?" Alistair asked as he winked at her.

"Fair enough. I guess we'll just have to put it to the test later. Until then, I'm just going to choose to believe that you're afraid of losing against me,"

"Whatever makes you sleep better at night, Brother." She smiled slyly.

A little while later, Bella came round. The four of them shared some quick witted banter, then Frankie thought it was best to get Bella some training gear with padding before they started training with swords and daggers. As per Frankie's usual preference, she opted for the two training longswords that Alistair had made her, while Bella started out with the training daggers that Frankie had originally trained with.

Alistair took turns to show both of them how to move and place their attacks, how to block and anticipate their opponent's next strike. Before long, they were facing each other one on one. Bella attacked, Frankie blocked. Frankie attacked, Bella blocked. Blow by blow they met each other's advances. Frankie glanced towards Alistair only to see him smiling at them as they went at it.

_**"You're leaving yourself open for attack on your left side."**_

"No, I'm not," Frankie said, as she tried to stay focused.

"No, you're not what?" Bella asked.

"You said I'm leaving myself open on my left side. I said I am not."

"Are you feeling okay? Cause I didn't say anything," Bella said, confused.

_**"I hate to break it to you, but it wasn't Bella speaking to you."**_

_"Okay, now I know I'm going nuts."_

_**"I didn't know when would be the right time to make my presence known to you. But when I saw you leaving yourself open right now, I just couldn't stop myself."**_

_"Who are you?"_

_**"Ecco un indizio. Nel vostro sogno, si ballavano con un ..."**_

_"Una bambina..."_

_**"Si."**_

_"The only one who would know that is... Abby?"_

_**"Yes."**_

_"One question: HOW?"_

_**"Once again, I don't have an answer for you. All I know is that I have been sent to help you in any way I can."**_

_"Were you the little girl I was dancing with too?"_

_**"Ha ha, no, I wasn't, but I am also not able to tell you who that was just yet, so don't even ask."**_

_"Okaayyy! Now I really need to see my therapist. I am starting to feel like Loony Lucy in the wacky shack.__**"**_

_**"Contrary to what you might believe, you're not going crazy. You are just someone with a unique gift and the missing piece to a puzzle that needs to be fixed."**_

_"There you go with your riddles again. I need some answers. This whole situation is freaking the hell out of me."_

_**"It's not all that unpleasant, is it? I'm not trying to take control of you, or casting some sort of spell. I have simply been sent to guide you. You have some tough choices ahead of you and you need to be prepared. The end is coming, fight or fail. You need to be ready."**_

_"Ready for what? What end?"_

_**"The end of all things you know and love. In the end, you will have to choose. As time passes, things will become clearer, and you will begin to understand what you are facing and what you must do. I am here to guide your way."**_

_"Okay, let's say that for one brief second, I don't think this is totally fucking insane and I believe you. What do I do now? What's my next step?"_

_**"Right now, you need to step to your right, swing round behind Bella as she advances on you."**_

_"What?"_

_**"Do it, NOW!"**_

Frankie did as she was told, she swiftly stepped to the right and spun out of Bella's reach. It was like she could anticipate every move from there. Abby kept instructing her on how to move her body in harmony with her weapons. It felt like she had been fighting with swords all her life as her blades became extensions of her body. Bella went on defense and Abby instructed Frankie to move in for the attack as she approached Bella, Frankie crouched down and away from Bella's swing. With her left leg stretched out, Frankie pivoted on her right leg as she spun round in a circular motion, catching Bella's legs from behind causing her to lose her footing and tumble backwards, Frankie rolled and came up along side Bella and brought her swords up to Bella's throat. "I do believe you're dead now."

"That was an amazing move. Where did you learn that?" Bella asked as Frankie helped her to her feet.

"Oh that? A little bird whispered in my ear." Frankie grinned.

"Bullshit! Come on, Sis, admit it. Alistair must have taught you that."

"No, actually I didn't," Alistair replied as Frankie saw the puzzled expression on his face. "How did you know when exactly to move out of the way and swing into the attack like that?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me, I've learned over the past couple of months to accept some crazy shit."

"I had an inner voice guiding me, instructing me which moves to make and when to make them. It was weird, but that voice was absolutely correct on everything. She anticipated Bella's next move and instructed me how to counter them."

"She?' Alistair asked.

"The voice was a woman's," Frankie explained.

"Okay, now I'm beginning to question your sanity, Franks." Nicky shook his head in confusion.

"I'm not nuts. I can prove it." She beckoned her brother to attack her. "Take a swing at me and see for yourself."

Nicky picked up a sword and advanced on her. Once again, Abby instructed her on how to move and strike. Within minutes, Frankie had her brother flat on his back with her swords aimed at his heart.

"See? I'm not crazy," Frankie said as she dropped the swords and helped her brother up.

"Something about those moves seem so familiar to me. As if I've seen them performed a thousand times," Alistair said with a quizzical expression.

"So you could have taught her that and just forgot, maybe?" Bella asked.

"No, those are very advanced techniques. I can't perform them, never mind teach someone else to do them."

"Well, this is some freaky shit. Can you do the moves yourself or does the voice have to tell you first?" Nicky asked.

"Once I've done them once, I can remember the moves and do them without instruction." She picked up her swords and moved over to the practice dummy and performed the same hurricane attack that she had just been taught.

Frankie could see the shocked and freaked out expressions on all their faces. She didn't know how to make them see that she wasn't lying or crazy. She just shrugged and smiled at them, hoping that someone would change the topic or break something else, just to draw the attention away from her.

As if Frankie's prayers had been answered, Bella's phone started to ring. Bella told Frankie that Sal was at the airport and needed to be picked up because she had important news to share with Bella, Frankie and Louise. They had agreed to meet each other at the Bistro later on in the evening and Bella left to go pick Sallie up.

Nicky had to go and get ready for a date with Carrie, which caught Frankie by surprise. "You really are a smooth operator, aren't you? What happened to CC?" she asked.

"Come on, Sis. I am still getting to know CC, and we are not dating yet. I just want to go out and enjoy myself a little. Is that so wrong?"

"No, there's nothing wrong with having fun when you can. But if you break either of their hearts. I will kick your ass. Do you hear me? They are both my friends and I don't want to see them hurt."

"I am honest and upfront about everything, Sis. I promise, I won't hurt either of them," Nicky said sincerely.

"Good, I'm glad we understand each other." She smiled.

Frankie knew she had no business telling her brother what to do in his private life, but she had been hurt too much in the past to just sit by and watch it happen to someone else.

She and Alistair headed upstairs to get cleaned up and dressed before going to the mall to buy some more clothes and a few other items that were needed in the house. As they stood in their bedroom getting dressed, Alistair walked over to her, turned her face to look into his eyes.

"Are you sure it was a woman's voice that instructed you how to fight?" he asked.

"Yes, and not just any voice," she confessed. "I think you need to sit down, Alistair. What I'm about to tell you might come as a shock."

They moved over and sat on the bed. Frankie took Alistair's hands in hers as she stared deeply into his eyes. "In truth, I am afraid to tell you. Not just because it will freak the hell out of you as it did me, but because I am afraid that it might change what we have."

"Nothing will change the way I feel about you. I love you, and you can tell me anything. You know I believe you and have complete faith in you and in us. Tell me," he said.

"The voice inside my head wasn't just any female voice." She paused briefly as she gathered her courage to continue, "It's Abby, Alistair."

He was quiet for a long moment before he let go of her hands, got up and started pacing the room slowly. Frankie could see that he was having trouble dealing with what she had just confessed. He paused briefly after every few steps he took, as if he had a question to ask but didn't know quite how to ask it. She got up and walked over to him. As she got closer, Alistair looked at her and opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly collapsed onto the ground, completely unconscious.

"Alistair!"

* * *

**Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

_In recent weeks, I have been shown what effect it has to actually make someone blush a bright shade of pink on an A/N full of compliments. I have been blushing all the known colors of the rainbow recently. Time for some payback. -) All true, which makes it so much better._

_So here's a huge and most humble thank you to my little army of betas, best friends and awesomely smutty minxes. __**Isabella Monroe**__, __**RandomWittering**__, __**Pinoko K**__ and last but definitely not least, __**Kira Tamarion**_. _Thank you for always having my back, being there for me through thick and thin, and making it look as if I know what I'm doing. You are really the best. Your Jinxy-Pooh, Daft Bat, Khaleesi, and smutty minx is honored to know you and call you friends. You have all become family to me and I can't and don't want to imagine going a day without you in my life. So, to my Guardian Angel, My Pookie, My Sweety-Pie, and My jolly fluffy bunny with a witty grin, I love you with all my heart. Astronomical hugs and kisses to ya. :-)_

_Daar is n paar wat my n groot gatkruiper sal noem vir die manier waarop ek vir julle dankie sê, die manier waarop ek julle prys gee vir als wat julle vir my doen en beteken. Al wat ek voor kan hoop is dat julle weet ek bedoel elke woord wat ek sê en dat elk een van julle diep in my hart gekruip het en always n plek daar sal hê. :-D_

It is my absolute pleasure to share some happy news with you. My stunning co-author, beta, and mentor in the arts of absolute awesomeness, **Isabella Monroe** has a new story available for your reading delights. It's called **What You Will** and it would be an absolute sin to miss. Here's the summary and link for you. _-Loosely based on the Twelfth Night-. To keep the templars off of her trail as her family escapes Ferelden,Charlie Hawke completely changes her identity and her in Kirkwall, she must continue the charade despite her growing attraction for Anders._  
_**ht tp : / / www . fanfiction . net/s/7221501/1/** (Remove the spaces)_

**HUGE **Hugs to **All the Cheeky, Spanky and Smutty Monkeys. A huge smooch to Bonkzy as well.**  
**;-)**

* * *

**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N: **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me on a daily basis. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on fav author, the story on favs, and alerts!_

_WOW, would you look at that! It only took me 10 days to post an update. That's not bad, right?_

_;-)_

* * *

**BioWare owns Ali...**

**Chapter 16**

Alistair had been fainting off and on for the last couple of months, but it had always been very quick. He would regain consciousness soon after and insist that he was fine and didn't need a doctor. Frankie would argue and try to convince him with everything in her, but he kept insisting that he was fine and she had nothing to worry about. His health deteriorated quickly, he started vomiting, getting constant headaches and fever. Lou agreed to treat him outside of the medical establishment because they didn't know what to make of his blood with the taint and no one would have believed that he was from another world.

Deep down, Frankie knew he was hiding something much more serious, but he refused to talk about it. He had a haunted expression and a far off look in his eyes on days that he had one of these spells. She got really worried on one day in particular, he was beyond upset, he disappeared for a while then came back and made love to her as if she was his oxygen. She felt so lost and confused. Clearly something very bad was going on and he was hiding it from her.

One month ago, when he had the worst unconscious spell to date, he told Frankie that he needed to go back to Ferelden, it was a life or death situation and he had to go back. He begged her to go with him. Frankie tried to get him to tell her why he had changed his mind so suddenly and why he was so sure he had to go back, but he wouldn't give her any answers, he would just stress the fact that it was very important and he wouldn't have done it if he had another choice.

The fact that Abby was now talking to Frankie didn't help matters much either. Alistair completely rejected the thought. He didn't want to have anything to do with Abby because he felt that she was trying to turn him against Frankie, to get him back to Ferelden on his own so that she could be with him. That was the furthest thing from the truth and Frankie knew it. He was starting to get paranoid and frustrated some days and on other days he would cling to her as if she was his life force. Frankie knew that she had to do something, but didn't know which way to turn or where to get help. She knew that Abby had accepted her life was over and there was nothing she could do to change her fate. She still loved Alistair but she knew that he loved Frankie more and would continue to love her till the end of his days.

Frankie was at her wits end. Reluctantly, Alistair to let Louise draw some blood in order to run some tests. After a few weeks, Louise made a shocking discovery. Alistair's life was slowly slipping away. Test results had shown a build up of toxins in his system that would normally be fine for those who have lived with them since birth but for him.. he had no tolerance and it was busy killing him. Over the last couple of months since Alistair arrived in New York, his body had slowly been breaking down due to the process, and his taint was making it worse. Louise still could not determine how to separate his taint because it was unprecedented and did not exist in any capacity.

Frankie knew she was losing him and there was no way to stop it unless some miracle happened or she found a way to send him back to Ferelden before it was too late. That thought alone had her crying herself to sleep at night. She had finally found the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with and she was losing him to something she had no control over. She had finally conquered her demons and found a way to move on with her life, but everything was crumbling around her once more. Frankie was determined to save his life, even if it meant losing him in the end. As long as he survived, she would find a way to live on without him.

Frankie sat in front of her laptop, piling through countless research that she had gathered through the past few months. She still had no answers only more and more questions.

_**He's getting worse by the day.**_

_Oh Fuck me! Would you stop doing that!_

_**Doing what?**_

_Freaking the hell out of me by just pouncing into my thoughts._

_**I'm sorry. I'll try to announce myself next time. How about if I tickle your arse to make my presence known.**_

_Very funny, bright spark! I see you remembered to bring your wit with you this time._

_**What can I say. I give as good as I get.**_

_Anyway, what were you talking about earlier? If you mean Alistair's condition, don't bother, 'cause I know that and I am trying my best to find a cure._

_**Yes, I know you are but you should also prepare for the fact that you might end up losing him even if you find a way to save him.**_

_I know that, but if there is a way I can go with him, then I'll find it. I have to._

_**He's scared out of his wits, you know?**_

_Scared of what will happen if we can't send him back, I know. Why do you think I'm sitting here day and night to try and save him?_

_**He's not scared of losing his life, Frankie. He's afraid of losing you. That's why he hasn't gone into any detail why he has to go back. He is afraid that if he tells you, it might all come true.**_

_What might all come true? What aren't you telling me?_

_**You will have to ask him yourself. I can't tell you even if I wanted to.**_

_Well, if you aren't going to say anything useful why don't you shut the hell up!_

Frankie let out a frustrated sigh, got up and walked towards the sparring room where Alistair had been secluding himself to try and get through his illness and keep up his strength. She walked into the room to find Alistair sitting in a corner, his legs pulled up to his chest and his head resting on his arms. She realized his shoulders were shaking as he cried as if his heart was about to break. She rushed over and fell to her knees before him. He was shaking from head to toe.

"This has gone on for long enough, Alistair. You need to tell me what's really going on. We can't continue on like this. It's killing me to see you this way."

"I would die willingly if I had you by my side. I can't continue without you Frankie. You are everything to me and I hate that my life and the lives of others are being determined for me once more. I thought that if I remained here, we could have a happy and long life together, grow old, have kids and only moan about the fact that there was nothing good on the T.V anymore."

"But that's not possible is it?"

"Not if things work out the way…. Never mind, I don't want to think about that now. I just want to spend time with you."

"No, tell me what's going on. Right now! I am not gonna stop asking until you tell me. You know how stubborn I can be so you might as well just tell me now. Please Alistair, stop trying to protect me by keeping me in the dark. Tell me!"

"I have been getting visions for a while now. Dreams of things that will happen in the future."

"Our future or Ferelden's future?"

"Both. If I remain here, I will die and Ferelden will be doomed. If I go back to Ferelden, if I find a way somehow. I will probably lose you. I can't live without you, and I don't want innocent people to die because of me. But it's too late now."

"What do you mean, it's too late? You know I would do anything for you. I don't want to live without you Alistair, but I don't want you to die just to stay here with me for a little while longer, either. I want you to live and achieve the things you were meant to, even if that means I won't be there with you. Did the dreams give you any clue how to go back?"

"Yes, Flemeth has been sending me signals and visions, telling me that when the time comes, I shouldn't hesitate to leap, she gave me the date and location where I needed to be in order to go back, but I would have had to go without you and that's why I didn't. After the time had passed, she showed me what was going to happen now that I didn't go back. It was horrible. Blight upon Blight and the whole world, including this one being utterly and completely destroyed. The only thing she didn't tell me was when exactly it was all going to happen, a year from now or a hundred. All she said was that I needed to go back or all will be doomed, but it's too late now. She has told me that the time for me to go back has passed already because I refused to follow her directions. She is trying to find another way but fears that she won't be able to make it in time. I only have two more weeks to live, Frankie. I want to spend as much of that time with you as I possibly can."

Frankie felt as if someone had just poured ice water over her. Her whole world had just tumble into a million pieces around her at his last words, "What? Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" she asked, sounding a little hysterical to herself, but that was the last thing she worried about.

"Because I knew you would tell me to go. I knew that you love me too much to see me die and I love you too much to let you go."

"But now you're dying, Alistair. I am going to lose you anyway. Why didn't you tell me this when you first found out? We could have found a way."

"We could have, yes. But it would have meant that I would have gone off to Ferelden without you. I love you Frankie and I just couldn't do it. My whole life has been about duty and honor, and the last time I followed that, it cost me Abby and everything I held dear. I can't do that again. I can't live without you."

Frankie didn't know if she wanted to kiss him or kill him. He had sacrificed his life just for a few more weeks with her. He loved her that much that he would rather die than live without her. She felt so guilty and broken at that moment. Her entire world had been tossed upside down in an instant. She wanted to yell and scream, rant and rave, pull him into her arms and tell him how much she loved him. Her determination took hold and she decided that if she needed to go to the ends of the earth to save him, she would.

"I'm not going to let you die, Alistair. I won't!"

"Angelo d'amore, I'm afraid we have no choice now. The time has come and gone. Just spend these last two weeks with me, that's all I ask."

"That is just like you, you know. Calling me your Angel of love to try and downplay the fact that I am going to lose you forever. I love you, Alistair. I just wish you would have come to me sooner. You know I would do anything for you."

"I know, my love, and that is why I didn't. I didn't want you to sacrifice anything for me. You have suffered enough."

"Wasn't there a way that I could go with you?"

"No. I do know for a fact that you could survive in Ferelden if you came with me. The same thing won't happen to you on the other side because your body is strong enough that you will seem more godly than human in Ferelden, but there is no way to guarantee that you'll survive if you go through the fade door. There is a very big chance that your body would not be able to survive traveling through it, and….."

"And that's why you kept quiet about it."

"Yes. I don't want to lose you, but I fear that I have now doomed us all by not coming clean and doing what I was supposed to, earlier. I am such a fool, but a fool who is hopelessly in love with you."

"Ah, the things we do for love." She smiled softly at him. Frankie couldn't fault him for what he had done, because deep down she knew that a few months prior she would have done exactly the same thing. She would have chosen to stay with him and doom the world without thinking twice. She still loved him with everything in her, but his survival was more important to her than her own feelings. He had two weeks left and she was going to find a way to save him before then.

After a few hours of Alistair telling her everything from start to finish, Frankie convinced him to go take a shower and lay down for a while. She tried to assure him that everything would be okay, even if neither of them really believed it. She sat in front of her laptop once more with a renewed determination to find a solution.

She left messages for anyone who was willing to help or knew of a solution on CMDA. She tried to reply on Flemeth's emails and even stumbled back onto the BioWare website to look for some clues. She saw a name that looked so familiar to her, but couldn't quite place it, she called to Abby for help.

_Charles Avernus, where have I heard that name before?_

_**Avernus is the blood mage Warden at Soldier's peak.**_

_Oh, yes. That's right. But this post links him to our world. Can it be the same person?_

_**The way his posts read, it certainly sounds like him. But there's no way to be sure unless we see him face to face. I do warn you though. You can't trust him, Frankie.**_

_But if it is him, he must know of a way to get from this world to Ferelden. I mean, how did he get here to begin with?_

_**You're going to try and find him now, aren't you?**_

_Yes, I am_

_**Okay. But please, please don't trust him. If it is him and he is able to help, he won't do it without getting something out of it for himself.**_

_Don't worry, I'll be fine. I am doing this for Alistair._

Frankie contacted Angie and gave her all the details on Charles Avernus that she could find. Angie replied the next morning with his physical address that she was able to track through his IP. Frankie was grateful to discover that Avernus lived in a small town outside of New York City and it would only take her an hour to get to his house.

Alistair was still asleep and she knew he needed all the rest he could get, so she phoned Lou and Bella and asked them to come to the house. She refused to answer any questions until they got here and while she was waiting she showered and dressed.

Bella arrived before Lou and waited in frustration while Frankie paced in front of her until Lou arrived, worry written all over her face.

"I've found someone who might be able to help Alistair. I need you guys to be here when Alistair wakes up. Tell him... tell him that I had to go shopping."

"What's going on Frankie?" Bella demanded.

"I-I can't tell you, please just trust me that I have to do this, it might be the only way."

"Then I'm coming with you." she said.

"No, you aren't, I'm sorry but I have to do this alone." Frankie replied.

"The fuck you are Frankie, who is this guy? How can he help?"

"He's... someone who might be from Ferelden, and if so then..."

"Is there an impending invasion or something? How can there be someone else?"

"He's a mage and..." Frankie sighed. "Remember Avernus from the game?"

Bella went ballistic "Are you out of your ever loving mind Frankie? Even if it IS him, he's a Blood mage! Oh sure, let's go see him, because all good things come from using blood magic. Can we slit our wrist and dance naked in the moonlight 'cause that would really make my day?" Bella said sarcastically.

Frankie looked at her friends helplessly.

"Back me up Lou! This is insane," Bella pleaded.

Louise was white as a sheet and just shook her head. "If she won't listen to you, what am I supposed to say? I know you think it's insane but... what if there is a chance? I'm sorry, but I think we should at least find out."

Bella shook her head at Lou in disgust and she threw up her hands.

"Fine, but I'm not letting you go on your own, whatever you think."

"Bella, I can't let you. I'm sorry but this is the way it has to be, if it is Avernus from Ferelden, I don't want you two mixed up in it as well. I just can't."

"I wasn't asking your permission." Bella snapped.

Frankie hugged Bella hard and looked over her shoulder at Lou, nodding to the closet. Lou's eyes went wide and mouthed "Seriously?". Frankie nodded and Lou quickly opened the door.

Frankie took a deep breath and gently maneuvered Bella as if towards the door but then whispered "I'm sorry," as she shoved her in.

Lou shut the door as Bella started swearing and Frankie locked it.

"We are both sooooo dead." Lou commented.

"You understand why I have to do this, Lou?" Frankie asked.

"I do, I just hope you find what you are looking for. Just... be careful Frankie, please."

"If you bitches don't let me out RIGHT NOW, I will kick this fucking door down!" Bella howled.

"You'd better run." Lou said with a wry smile.

Frankie gave her a quick hug and rushed to gathered all the research she had and paused to watch Alistair sleeping. She didn't know if she would be gone for a few hours or a whole day and she hated leaving Alistair but she had to save him, no matter the cost. Frankie kissed him on the cheek and whispered words of love and devotion before heading out the door. She could still hear Bella shouting and didn't envy Lou staying with her in that state but she knew Louise would be able to calm Bella down enough not to wanna kill her.

An hour later, she reached Avernus' house. Frankie knocked on the door and an old man who looked exactly like Avernus from Dragon Age opened the door. Frankie knew that she should be freaked out that another game character just happened to be in this world, but after everything she had experienced in the past few months, the Archdemon could rock up in New York and it wouldn't surprise her. She thought he would deny that it was him or that he had any knowledge of Dragon age, but instead he greeted her with a very freaky smile.

"Frankie Russo, I presume? I have been waiting for you." He said as he held the door open for her to enter. She stepped inside hesitantly.

"Yes, I'm Frankie, but how did you know I would come or who I am?"

"I am a mage my dear girl. I can see things that you can only dream of. I know what is happening with your Alistair and that you desperately need to get him back to Ferelden." He motioned her to his living room and showed her to a seat.

"Yes, that's true. But how is it that you are able to survive here and not suffer the same fate as Alistair is now?"

"If you are as smart as I think you are, you already know the answer to that question," he chuckled ruefully.

"Blood magic?"

"Yes, blood magic with a combination of spells and enchantments."

"But won't that help Alistair as well? Won't that enable him to live here too? Or live long enough for us to find a way to get him back to Ferelden?"

"No, it won't because Alistair is not a mage and only a mage with extraordinary power can achieve what I have."

"Did you come through the fade door as well?"

"No, I had the ability to open a portal from Soldier's peak into this world in order to come here."

"But how was that possible?"

"When I came here, the veil at Soldier's peak had been torn. It was only too easy to enter the fade from there. I have experimented with many things in my lifetime, but I have never seen how far one could go while the veil was so torn. When I got here, I struggled at first because I didn't know where I was or how to get back. But I have been here for over 5 years now and only return to Ferelden when I run short on supplies that don't exist here. This world has so much... potential, so rich with people, fresh blood and experiments to try."

Frankie shuddered at the thought but thinking of Alistair, she pressed on, "So you know how to go back?"

"That's obvious, isn't it?"

"Okay Avernus, since you know who I am and why I am here. Is there any way to send both myself and Alistair back to Ferelden?"

"No. I can send Alistair back, but not both of you. You have to remain here for the spell and transition to work."

"Why?"

"Because it requires blood magic and a sacrifice to send a non-mage safely through the fade and into Ferelden."

"What sacrifice?"

"In order for me to send Alistair to Ferelden. I need you to give him a potion to drink, once he's asleep, I need you to cut both his and your hand, join them together for you to connect with each other. Once that is done, I need you to drink another vial of liquid which is only a sleeping draught that will put you to sleep. That will enable me to use your strength to send him through the fade unscathed. He is too weak to do it on his own now and you don't have enough strength for both of you to survive the journey."

Frankie dreaded the question but she knew she had to ask, "Will I die if I do this?"

He chuckled ruefully once more, which sent an uneasy chill down Frankie's spine."No, my dear girl. You won't die, but you will feel sick for a day or so after and you will be without him for the rest of your life. If you want to save him, that is your sacrifice. That is the price you must pay."

"Alistair will never agree to blood magic and what guarantee do I have that this will even work?"

"You don't have much choice but to trust me. Either you do it and save he man you love or you watch him die. The choice is yours, it may not be the choice you like, but it is still a choice."

_**Don't trust him. I beg you Frankie. This will cost more than you are willing to pay. I warn you.**_

_I will pay any price it takes to ensure that Alistair goes back to Ferelden alive and unharmed. So if you can't show me another way to save him then just shut up!_

_**You are going to regret this. Please don't do it.**_

_Your objection is noted, Abby. Just tell me one thing. Can he send Alistair back?_

There was a weighted silence in her head for a few moments before Abby replied.

_**I hate to say it but yes, he can.**_

_Good, that's all I need to know._

Frankie knew she needed time to think about it but there wasn't any. Alistair didn't have much time left as is and she couldn't take more of it by trying to make her mind up. She was desperate to save him, no matter what it might cost her later. It would be unbearable to live without him, but knowing that he was alive and safe was all she could hope for. She would find a way to move on.

"Okay, what do you need me to do?"

He gave her two small vials, one containing a yellow liquid and the other containing a dark red sort of mixture.

"You take the red vial and let him drink it. If you can't get him to drink it or are afraid that he rejects it, throw it into something he drinks, like wine. He will instantly feel healthy and full of energy. After about 3-4 hours, that energy will be spent and he will fall into a deep sleep. That's when you need to cut his hand and yours, and bind them together as best you can. It will burn, but it won't be unbearable. Then you drink the content of the yellow vial. It will put you into a deep and restful sleep. Once you're asleep, I will do the ritual and when you wake up tomorrow morning, Alistair will be alive and safe in Ferelden. You can't leave it till later. If you want him to live then you have to do it tonight."

"Can't I just spend a few more days with him?"

"No, if you don't do it tonight then he surely will die."

"How will you know when it's all done and I'm asleep?"

"I need a sample of your blood for that. With it, I will be able to track your progress and determine the best time to do the ritual. You are quite safe. I know what I'm doing. I just have to count on you knowing what you're doing. That is the only flaw."

Frankie stared at him, not wanting to go this route but she couldn't see any other way.

"Either you do it or he dies. As I said, it's your choice and your sacrifice." Avernus pointed out.

"One way or another, this ends tonight then." Frankie said almost in a whisper.

Frankie placed the vials in her pocket after giving Avernus a sample of her blood, made all the final arrangements with him and double checked her facts. She knew that Alistair would never agree to a blood magic ritual, even in the game he hated to have to do one with Morrigan, but he did it for love. Frankie was doing the same, she was going to sacrifice it all to save him.

She left Avernus' house and headed back to the apartment. It was getting dark already and Frankie hadn't even realized she had been gone that long.

She entered the apartment, and found Bella and Lou in the kitchen making coffee. Bella didn't leave the room but Frankie could tell she wasn't happy.

"Where's Alistair?" Frankie asked, trying to get Bella to meet her eyes.

"He's having a shower after I goaded him into kicking my ass downstairs," Bella finally said. "He was frantic when he woke up and he wanted to go and look for you. I know that feeling," she said with a dirty look at Lou.

"Just tell me Frankie, was it worth it?" Bella asked. Frankie just nodded, unwilling to tell them what she was planning to do. Bella just sighed.

Frankie could tell that they both knew something was up. Frankie guessed that her face gave her away 'cause both Louise and Bella kept asking her what was going on and why she looked as if something was on her mind that she once again didn't talk about.

"You've seen that he's getting worse and worse. I'm scared, Lou. I don't want to lose him. I won't be able to bear it."

"You won't lose him. I am doing research day and night to try and find a cure. You just need to be patient a little while longer. It will all work out, you'll see." Louise said.

"I have to save him. I just have to. I won't be able to live with myself if he died." She bit her bottom lip and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Okay, now you're sounding ominous. What's going on?" Bella expressed.

Frankie hated lying, but she knew that if she told them the truth, they would think she was nuts and make sure that she didn't go through with it. She had no choice.

"Nothing is going on. I'm just scared, that's all."

"My gut is telling me there's more to it than that, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt this time. Just promise me that you'll be okay and you're not planning on going all nutso's and start laughing in a 'muah ha ha ha' fashion every chance you get." Louise mused.

"Muah ha ha ha," Frankie giggled, "Wouldn't that be fun. I'll be okay, I promise. Evil doesn't die that easily, remember?"

"I hate it when you say that. It gives me chills. Are you and Ali coming to the Bistro tonight?" Bella asked.

"No, I am planning a peaceful evening at home. Just me and Alistair, since all of you are going out for the night and Nicky has practically moved in with Carrie, I doubt I'll have to worry about him sneaking in here,"

"And Tess is coming back from visiting auntie Val tomorrow, right?" Louise asked.

"Yes, she'll be home at about noon."

"Well, then it seems you have the house all to your smutty self. Enjoy it."

"I'll try my very best." She smiled and winked playfully.

Bella and Louise left to go change before heading to the Bistro to join the others for dinner. Frankie felt terrible for taking up so much of Lou and Bella's time but she knew that apart from Nonna, Bella and Lou were the only ones she could count on to always have her back no matter what.

She didn't have a lot of time to plan any sort of evening. Deep down her thoughts kept jumping back to the fact that this would be her last night with the man she loved. After this night, she would lose him forever and only have a small comfort in the fact that he was alive and safe.

She placed candles throughout their room, dressed into a form fitting nightgown that she knew was Alistair's favorite, got a bottle of wine and poured two glasses, making sure that she mixed Alistair's with the potion from Avernus. She hated being this deceitful. It went against everything she stood for, but what other choice did she have. It was either this and try to live with the consequences of her decision later on, or death.

She looked at herself in the mirror one last time, shook her head and called herself an idiot, mentally chastising herself for being so weak. She called for Abby but she was only greeted with silence. When the room was finally set up and soft music was playing in the background, she went to find Alistair with both glasses of wine in her hands.

Frankie walked into the living room and found Alistair sitting in front of her laptop, typing vigorously on it. As he saw her enter, he slammed it shut. Normally, Frankie would immediately wonder what he was trying to hide but her thoughts on what she was about to do consumed her.

She gathered her strength and walked towards him. "I'm sorry I was gone so long."

"I was worried. I didn't know where you went or when you'd be back. I had quite a little tantrum which freaked the girls out. You should have seen the look on their faces."

"Yeah, I heard Bella had to practically goad you into a sparring session just to calm you down a bit." She sat down on his lap, wine glasses still in hand and kissed him on the cheek. "I was just out to get a few things for tonight,"

"I thought we're going to the Bistro for dinner." She wordlessly handed him his wine glass, before she lost all her sense and accidentally gave him the wrong one. He drank some wine, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his neck and tried to choke back tears that were threatening to fall.

"I want you all to myself tonight. There's a surprise waiting for you in the room. So how about you finish your wine, grab your new friend, Mr Laptop, and join me in the room?"

"The only thing I want in the room is you, and I have a better idea of getting you there," He kissed her as if it was the first time, drank the rest of his wine, placed the laptop on her lap, picked her up and carried her to the room.

He bent down for her to place the laptop on the nightstand. Laid her down softly on the bed as the music continued to play in the background. She looked into his eyes and whispered how much she loved him and would continue to love him with everything in her and until the end of her days.

"You are everything to me, my love. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would meet a charming knight like you, who would completely and utterly love every little part of me. Everything I have in this world and all I'll ever be, could all fall down around me, and I wouldn't care, as long as you're safe and alive. That's all that matters to me. I would die for you."

"So che posso sognare, so che non ti avrò mai, ma so anche che non potrò mai smettere d'amarti!Senza di te la mia vita non ha senso. Ti amerò finchè ho vita. Sei la mia anima gemella."

His words alone had Frankie in choked back tears as she kissed him. He had somehow learned Italian just to tell her how much he loved her and how much she meant to him. It was one of the things that would always take her breath away.

_Look into my eyes, you will see_

_What you mean to me_

_Search your heart, search your soul_

_And when you find me there you'll search no more_

It didn't take them long to get lost in each other. Frankie could no longer hold back her tears, her heartache fueling her passion and yearning to be as close to him as she could.

_Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for_

_You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for_

_You know it's true_

_Everything I do I do it for you_

This was the last time she would be able to kiss him, tell him how much she loved him and promise to be his forever.

_Look into your heart, you will find_

_There's nothin' there to hide_

_Take me as I am, take my life_

_I would give it all, I would sacrifice_

She loved him more than life itself and if this was the last moments she had left with him, she was going to hold onto that memory forever.

_Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for_

_I can't help it, there's nothin' I want more_

_Ya know it's true_

_Everything I do, I do it for you_

She thought back to the first time she met him. Still smiling at the fact that she called him a dirtbag and wanted to arrest him. She would never forget the look on his face.

_There's no love like your love_

_And no other could give more love_

_There's nowhere unless you're there_

_All the time, all the way_

The times they went riding on her bike and eating ice-cream in Central Park, his goofy smiles and the time he almost burnt down the kitchen to make her some breakfast.

_Oh you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for_

_I can't help it, there's nothin' I want more_

_I would fight for you, I'd lie for you_

_Walk the wire for you_

_Yeah, I'd die for you_

Among countless other memories of him, she knew that if she had to make the choice for her life to take a different direction or be with him, she would do it again in a heartbeat. He meant more than just the world to her and she would love him till the end of time.

_Ya know it's true_

_Everything I do, I do it for you_

Completely overtaken by their love and devotion to one another, they made love until they were both exhausted but happy. Alistair fell asleep and although it broke Frankie's heart, she knew that she needed to finish the final step to save him.

She got up, slid her robe on and retrieved her knife that was hidden under her nightstand. She cleaned it with alcohol before taking Alistair's hand. She hesitated and struggled to gain enough courage to continue in her current course. She closed her eyes, drank her potion and quickly cut his hand before her emotions overwhelmed her. She cut her own hand, wincing from the pain and clasped his hand as tightly as she could. She wrapped their hands together with a bandage that she retrieved from her drawer and in one final breath, she laid down next to him, crying endlessly with her head on his chest. Endless tears for what she had done and the love of her life which she was about to lose.

Before sleep could claim her, Frankie looked up at him one last time and whispered, "Forgive me, my love. Just know that I will love you, always."

In a dark corner of the room, a flash of light appeared, and Avernus stepped out of the shadows. He waved his staff and whispered an incantation. A black cloud circled around the bed which held them both, and within a few minutes, the cloud disappeared and Frankie was alone, asleep in her bed.

She woke up the next morning, feeling like death was slowly creeping up on her. Her body was screaming in pain, her muscles ached and it felt as if her blood was on fire. She couldn't even scream from the unbearable torture that was running rampant throughout her body. Frankie gathered the last bit of strength she had, started crying as she saw Alistair was no longer there, reached for her phone and could only send one word to her friends before blacking out from the pain.

"Help!"

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**Song used in the chapter:**_ (Everything I do) I do it for you by Bryan Adams._

**Italian for the day:**

**So che posso sognare, so che non ti avrò mai, ma so anche che non potrò mai smettere d'amarti!** - I know I can dream, I know I will never have you, but I also know I will never stop loving you!

**Senza di te la mia vita non ha senso** - without you my life has no meaning

**Ti amerò finchè ho vita** - I will love you while I still have life.

**Sei la mia anima gemella** - You are my soul mate

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**Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

_A Spectacular thanks to my awesome friends and betas __**Isabella Monroe & RandomWittering**__. You mean more to me than...mmm...that will be a long list, which will make this A/N longer than the chapter, so I'll just say...You mean more to me than words can possibly say. You rock awesomely._

**HUGE **Hugs to **All the Cheeky, Spanky and Smutty Monkeys. A huge smooch to Bonkzy, Pinoko K, Kira Tamarion and CCBug as well.**

**;-)**

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**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N: **_My special wholehearted thanks to all of you lurkers, reviewers, readers. Your support really helps motivate me on a daily basis. So thank you for taking your time to do that. Shout outs to those who put me on fav author, the story on favs, and alerts!_

_I still sit here giggling at the fact that this chapter has taken me this long to write. Wow! Almost 2 months. I definitely need a very sound spanking. I apologize from the bottom of my heart for taking so long with this chapter. I have to admit that I have has my rear-end kicked severally, and on several occasions as I was dragging ass in my writing. Thank you to** Isabella** and **Bonkzy** for doing that and just so you know... your new pairs of pointed and steel-tip heels will be in the mail soon. So as punishment for my tardiness, I have made this chapter extra long for you, with an added bonus. I am very proud to announce that this chapter has been co-written between myself and the spankalicious minx known as **Bonkzy** (Among her huge variety of other nicknames...Don't worry, Sweets. I know the feeling and feel your pain...LOL). Chapter 17 contains an OC that is almost as dear to me as Frankie herself. Cookies, chocolates and kinky Catwoman outfits go out to the persons who can tell me in which Fan-fic she appeared and who wrote her originally._

_**;-)**_

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**BioWare owns Ali..and Ferelden and a huge bunch of other things that I wish I did. **

**Chapter 17**

**Ferelden**

She was tired, cranky, and it was extremely warm for the time of year. One thing Tessa hated was to be sticky and hot. Spending the better part of the day in the forest, even the animals seemed smart enough to stay out of the stifling heat.

Kellar barked happily beside her, the large gray mabari darted past her so fast that she could feel the ground quiver as he galloped past her. She rolled her eyes as she watched the large beast disappear into the thick under brush, and then bound out with a large stick hanging from his massive jaws.

"Yer the reason we can't find anything worth catching, ye big idiot." She smiled and took the stick and noticed a thin line of drool dripped off the edge. Tessa's face scrunched up with disgust.

Kellar barked happily and spun around his beloved master. "I'm not throwing this. I would like to eat sometime today, ye know," she said, chuckling as she dropped the stick to the ground. Kellar's head dropped and he let out a small disappointed whine. "Let's go, ye big baby," she grumbled as she ran her fingers through her thick hair red curls.

"Can this day get any better?" She grumbled to herself. Tessa paused, she noticed her mabari as he stood unmoving a few feet away; staring off intensely into the dense thicket. She slowly brought up her bow and moved silently up beside the beast, she nudged him with her knee.

Kellar stiffened beside her as the hair on his back stood on end. A low rumbling growl reverberated through his body, and the rogue felt her heart hammer in her chest as she strained to hear what he heard. The only time the dog growled was if there was danger near, and she would not be caught unprepared.

"Whatcha hear boy?" She whispered.

In a flash, Kellar lunged forward, darted away from her and disappeared into the forest, "Fuck, fuck, fucking dog, fuck," She cursed as she ran after him. He never took off, not like that, not without her command.

A scream echoed off the trees and she shook her head in frustration. "Ah, shit..." She swore under her breath; as she ran full tilt towards the sound of the cries.

The Ranger found him at the bottom of a small incline. In a large muck puddle stood Kellar. Relieved and slightly horrified at the sight of her hound as he had a man pinned to the ground, covered in mud. Kellar's muzzle pressed tightly against the man's face while he barred his teeth. The man struggled to get up, but the weight of Kellar alone, she knew this man was not going anywhere without her say so. Tessa stepped gingerly down the incline and came to a halt beside them, mud sticking to her boots. She let out a small huff of annoyance as she looked down at the man.

He was filthy, and dressed very strangely. She wondered if maybe he was a noble? A freakishly dressed noble from one of those arsty-fartsy places much like Orlais or something. His hair was short, dirty blond in color and his eyes were a pretty hazel, she noted with a small smirk. He also looked scared shitless, and Tessa knew she should not find this amusing but couldn't help herself either.

"H...Help please, can you get this thing off me?" He cried out to her.

She felt bad for the man, he truly was scared of the dog and she couldn't blame him. Mabari's are deadly killers and not only that, Kellar was very large for his breed. The rogue watched as the man squirmed under the dog, tried to wiggle his way free. Kellar's snarl grew louder, almost deafening. She thought about helping this sorry sight of a man, but she also wondered why Kellar reacted as he did. The dog was normally a good judge of character, although, he did not like her husband when they first met either... Of course that might also have been because he tried to set the poor dog on fire. Tessa smiled at the memory, then decided it best to get to know this man before trusting her dog's judgement.

"Kellar, let him up."

The growling stopped but the dog made no motion to move away. Tessa raised an eyebrow as she waited for him to obey her commands. When he did not, she moved over beside the pair and knelt beside them. "Kell... what are ye doing?" she spoke in a soft questioning tone. Kellar whined solemnly and looked at her with large brown eyes.

"This dog is insane."

Kellar snorted in protest of the man's comment and pressed more weight down onto the man's chest, which made him groan and gasp for air.

"I wouldn't piss him off if I were you, he has very sensitive feelings."

"I.. I... Wha... Please, can you please get him off me?" The man gasped.

"Kellar! If you want to eat tonight, I suggest you do what the man says."

The dog whimpered and slowly slinked off the stranger's chest, turned his back to them as he huffed in protest. Holding out her hand, she offered it to the stranger. Hastily he took it as she pulled him to his feet.

"Thank you."

"Yer welcome, sorry about Kell, he's not normally like this. Of course, there's not normally people wandering around the middle of the forest either."

"I.. uh, yes... well, it wasn't something I planned on doing."

"Well ye look like shit and smell even worse."

The man's eyes widened in shock then he chuckled. "I'm sure I do, of course your mabari didn't help with that."

"Nope, I wouldn't say he did. So, what brings you out into the middle of the forest? Is rolling in the mud a new noble past time?"

"It's a long story, and I don't think you would believe me if I told you."

"I've got time, it seems like I won't be catching anything today and it will be dark soon. Why don't ye come back to my place, we'll fix you up something to eat and ye can tell me all about it."

"We?" he asked as he looked at the dog.

"Yes, WE, my husband is at home, I'm sure he will have something ready for dinner, even without the luck of meat, he's pretty handy with cooking." She chuckled.

"I don't know what to say?"

"Well start with thanks and go from there. Name's Tessa, Tessa MacIver, and the flea bag over there is Kellar. Don't ye worry, he will be on his best behavior from here on out. Right, Kellar?" The mabari hung his head low and whimpered. "That's what I thought." She smiled brightly.

"Alistair, my name that is... it's Alistair."

"Nice to meet ye, Alistair. Come let's get you cleaned up so you don't smell like you fell off a dung cart."

"Thanks, Tessa, I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it. I couldn't very well leave ye out here to get eaten now could I? Just so ye know though, if you try anything to hurt me or mine, I'll gut ye without a second thought."

"Oh, ah, don't worry there won't be any gutting necessary."

Before Alistair could take a step, Tessa pulled out her dagger in a flash and held it to his throat, Alistair gasped and stiffened at the feel of the cold steel pressed lightly against his skin. "My husband is an Apostate, ye won't have a problem with that, will ye?"

"N...No, I have nothing against mages at all, some of my best friends are mages."

As quickly as the knife appeared it was gone. "Good, let's go then," she smiled cheerfully.

Alistair glanced over at the mabari who sat hunched over. "Is she always like this?" He asked the dog, a low growl was the only response he got. Alistair quickly turned away and ran to catch up with this crazy woman and would be savior.

**xxXxx**

The walk was longer than Alistair expected, he already felt completely exhausted when he woke up inside the cave. Now he was completely spent, as he climbed up yet another rocky slope. His mind wandered back to Frankie, why did she do this too him? He wanted to stay with her, to spend what time he had left in her arms, holding her, loving her. Now he was stuck trudging through the forests of Ferelden with a beautiful but insane woman and a killer mabari that was large enough to put a saddle on.

His heart ached, there was nothing he wanted more then to be curled up beside Frankie right now. To wake up in her arms, whispering words of everlasting love.

"Almost there, just over the ridge there along the treeline." Tessa said,as she looked back at him with a smirk.

"Thank the Maker. I was starting to think we were going to walk all the way to the wilds," Alistair huffed breathlessly, as he once again fell into step behind Tessa, ignoring Kellar, as the mabari let out an annoyed snort.

"Well I did say my husband is an apostate. Where else would we live? In the middle of Demerim, perhaps?" She chuckled.

"No, I guess not..."

"I can see it now," Tessa quipped, cutting Alistair off with her arms stretched out in front of her, "Demerim, mid afternoon, my beloved and I taking a quiet stroll in the market square. Suddenly, BAM! Templars. Ye know what happens next, right?" as she gave Alistair a side long glance.

"Okay, okay, I get it. City bad, forest safer!"

"And smells better too, I don't know about you, but I'm not fond of the smell of sewage and rotting fish in the morning."

"You have a point."

"I always do."

"And a swelled head," Alistair stated.

"Ye have no idea," she grinned, "I like ye Mudpit, ye seem like an alright sort."

"Mud...pit?"

"Sure, I could call ye dung heap, but yer far too pretty for that." She cackled, "What, don't ye like it?"

"No... I can't say that I do..."

"Well, how bout just Mud then? You are kind of covered in it." She winked.

"How in the Maker's name did you ever find a man to marry you?"

"I ask myself that question everyday, my friend," She laughed as she gently patted Alistair's shoulder. "Not feeling so winded now, are yeh?"

"I... no..."

"Good, now pick up the pace, Mud, we're almost home. I'd like to be back before the sun sets."

Before Alistair could respond, Tessa and Kellar jogged up towards thicket of trees. He didn't know what to make of this woman, but the easy friendship seemed to be there and he found himself being thankful for it.

He didn't know if this woman knew what the word 'almost' walked at a hurried pace for what felt like an hour. Most likely it was less than that, but Alistair couldn't tell. The silence as they walked, made his mind wander back to yesterday, it felt like a dream and only the thoughts of Frankie felt real. He didn't know what to do next. Was she alright? Would he ever see her again? He wanted to find a way to get back to her, or maybe bring her here? But how?

A loud piercing bark brought Alistair out of his deep thoughts, as he realized the sun had started to set. He watched as Kellar ran ahead. The sight of a small cottage on the horizon, relief flooded him. He couldn't wait to get off his feet and rest. He was becoming increasingly aware of how hungry he was.

The cottage was set in an open clearing, and it was a fair size for two people, he thought. Not so large that it could be considered grand by any means. As they grew closer, Alistair could see clothes hung out on a string of rope, tied from the side of the house, to a nearby oak tree. This place said home, and it made his heart ache for Frankie even more. How he wished she was here with him right now. Alistair realized Tessa was staring at him, her expression drawn.

"Ya, alright there, Mud?" She questioned and rested her hand on his shoulder.

"Fine, fine, I'm alright, why? Do I have something on my face?" As he forced a smile, Alistair rubbed his hand across his forehead and noticed dry mud flaked off into his hand. "Guess so," He mused.

"It's a woman, isn't it?" She asked quizzically at his failed attempt to fend off her question.

"A who?"

"Nice try, I know that look, Mud. It's a look of a brokenhearted man," She spoke softly, "I won't pry, but if ye need to talk..."

"Thanks, I... don't know if you would believe me if I told you."

"Well, as I said before. Ye won't know unless ye try."

"Tessa?" A voice echoed from the other side of the small cottage. A tall, slim figure appeared from around the corner and Tessa's face lit up in with a bright smile. Alistair knew that look all too well, it was how Frankie looked at him. A pang of sadness gripped his heart like a vice.

The man was slender, yet well built for a mage. Thick blond hair was kept neatly tied back, out of his face. His eyes were not quiet as brilliantly blue and piercing as Tessa's eyes were, but still a bright hew. The dark trousers he wore hung loosely on his hips, and the white tunic was open at the neck. Alistair wouldn't even have guessed this was a mage if he didn't feel the magic around him. Most mages kept it pretty well hidden, but this man, he was relaxed and seemed at ease, making the magic almost spark around him. That was until he caught sight of Alistair. The man faltered at the sight of him His happy expression changed to confusion, then twisted into fear. Everything happened so fast that it seemed to completely be done by instinct .

Fire bloomed into the mage's hand, anger flared into his blue eyes. "Fucking Templar," The mage spat, and Alistair saw Tessa freeze mid stride, turning back to stare at him in shock.

Alistair's heart pounded in his chest. His whole body began to tremble, every instinct in him screamed to drain the mage and smite him, but if he did, he would sign his own death warrant.

"N..NO, you don't understand, I'm not..."

"You lied to me?" Tessa growled, as she turned to face him. She strode back to him with her daggers drawn, the sound of Kellar's fearsome growls filled the air. Even though he couldn't see the beast, Alistair was sure he was close.

"No, I'm not a Templar... well I am... but, not really, I'm not here to..."

Tessa pressed the cold steel of the dagger to his throat, but he made no move to defend himself. He could feel the blade cut into his flesh, a small ribbon of blood trickled down his neck. Alistair knew, that if he made a move to defend himself, he would not stand a chance, they were only protecting themselves.

"Bullshit!" She growled, "I should have known better than to trust ye."

"Tessa, I really don't mean either of you any harm,"

"Shut up, Templar, I will not have ye spewing your bullshit lies."

"I.. If I meant you any harm," He gasped, "Wouldn't I have been more prepared, a weapon, anything? I mean, what, how would I take two very powerful people down with no weapon or armor... please, I don't mean any harm."

Alistair could feel the magic dissipate; but Tessa's dagger held firm, her breath labored and he could see conflict in her icy blue eyes.

"Tessa, love..." The mage spoke softly, as he approached her slowly.

"I'm so sorry Dyson, I...should have been more careful," Her voice trembled.

"I know, I know, Sweetheart, you didn't know. But he's here now and let's just see what he has to say, alright?"

"No, he tricked me, made me feel sorry for him. I will not lose ye to some rogue Templar," She snarled.

"TESSA, Listen to me. Stop being such a daftly bullheaded woman. If you kill this man in cold blood, you will regret it."

"No, I won't."

"Tessi, my love, you need to listen to me now. I really don't want to spend the rest of our evening together building a pyre, because if you kill him I'll make you build it."

Tessa's expression softened, she sighed heavily as she rolled her eyes. "Fine, yer right." She slid the dagger away from his throat but pointed it at Alistair's chest as she huffed, "Don't make me regret this, Mud, or I'll make sure ye suffer before I kill ye."

Alistair sucked in a ragged breath, his hand going to his throat. "You won't, I promised," He croaked.

"Good, I'll see to yer bath then, ye smell like shit." She grumbled, as she put her daggers away before she flung herself into the mage's arms. He grunted, but laughed as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him.

"You silly woman. Forever bringing strays home," He chuckled affectionately as he pressed his lips against the side of her head.

"Ye think I would have learnt by now," She whispered into his neck.

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't, and I wouldn't change that for anything."

Alistair fought back the feeling of loss as he watched their affectionate embrace, feeling a pressure against his leg, he looked down to see the large mabari leaning again his leg. Its massive head coming up well above his hip. Brown eyes stared up at him, setting his nerves on edge again. Carefully, Alistair reached out and touched the dog's massive head. The mabari reacted by leaning more into his body. Knocked him slightly off balance. He heard the man chuckle, as Alistair looked up wide eyed.

"At least he didn't do to you what he did to me when I first met him, I still have the scar." He said patting his hip.

The mabari whined softly, as his ears dropped, "Right... well, yes, I guess that is good. Is this normal for him?."

"Yes, wait till he tries to sleep on your face." The mage laughed, holding out his hand, "Name's Dyson, you know my wife of course. I'm sorry that we seemed to have gotten off on the wrong foot but... just know, I don't trust you yet, but I'm not willing to kill an innocent man."

"Alistair, my name that is, umm... I'm very glad you didn't kill me and I hope I don't give you a reason to.. kill me that is."

"I'm sure it will be fine. Come in and let's get you cleaned up, she's right, you smell horrible."

"Right, um, thank you," Dyson nodded, and turned towards the house as Tessa lightly rested her arm across his shoulder.

"Sorry bout that, Mud, I didn't mean to scare ye like that. I just can't be too careful when it comes to him."

"I understand, you really love him, don't you?"

"I would die for him if I had too, and kill anyone who tries to take him from me," She frowned.

"I know how that feels," Alistair said.

"Aye, I can tell, it's written in yer eyes. Mud. There's a lot of loss in them."

"Do you have to call me that?"

"Why, yes I do."

"I suppose I can't convince you to call me Alistair? or Ali or anything else?"

"Nope."

"Fine, good to know I don't have a say in it."

"Not one little bit," She grinned, "Now let's get ye cleaned up and fed, shall we?

"Thank the Maker for that."

"You should say, thank the mage, he's the one that does all the work," She winked.

After Alistair had his bath, he sat at the dinner table across from Tessa and Dyson. Kellar kept eyeing him curiously and Alistair couldn't even think of moving an eyebrow without having the humongous hound start growling at him. He could sense that both Tessa and Dyson kept looking at him and averting their eyes as soon as he looked up. He couldn't help but wonder what they were thinking about. Most likely, they were wondering who the hell he was and why exactly he was wondering through Ferelden in the way that he was. Alistair knew that it would be tough to try and explain what happened to him and where he had been for the last...oh, Maker only knows how long.

How would he even begin to tell them? _Hmmm...I was in Ferelden and then found this cave where I was magically transported to this shiny place called New York City, where I met the love of my life, only to lose her again because I was dying, but thanks to her stubborn and pigheaded-ness, she saved my life somehow and now I'm back here!...Yeah, that sounds perfect! They are gonna think I've gone off the deep end!_

As if reading his thoughts, Tessa asked in her most charming fashion, "So...Mud! What's yer story? Or is it one of those 'I can tell you but then you'd laugh your ass off at me' sort of deals? cause if it is, I will likely laugh at you.'"

"Now, that's reassuring!" Alistair replied with a nervous smile. "I'd call you crazy if you didn't laugh at me, truth be told. My story has very much been an unbelievable one so far. If you promise not to try and kill me... again, I will try to tell you as best I can."

"Well, best start from the beginning then, I think," Tessa said as she poured all three of them a large portion of whiskey. She slid a glass over to Alistair before she leaned and stretched back into the chair, lifted her legs up onto the table. She pushed the chair back and watched Alistair intently. "This should help loosen that tongue of yer's and it might help make yer story be a bit more plausible to us," She said with a grin.

"Maker, Tessa, really?" Dyson snipped as he rolled his eyes at his wife, "Were you raised in a barn?"

"What?" She smirked and wiggled her eyebrows at him innocently. "I'm tired, I'm just resting my legs."

"Where we eat... and I'm sure our guest would feel more comfortable talking to your face, and not your feet."

"I don't know... they are pretty sexy feet don't ye think, Mud?" She chuckled and wiggled her toes at him.

"I... uh, they are, umm."

Dyson grumbled as he stood up, marched over to Tessa, and with a swift motion of his hand, knocked the ranger's feet to the floor with a loud thud. Tessa grunted with fake annoyance, and mumbled under her breath, "Spoil-sport."

Dyson ignored his wife's playful attempts to lighten the mood and turned to face the Templar that had invaded their home. "I am sorry Alistair, please continue."

"Right," He smiled meekly, took a deep breath and began the story of the blight, his travels, the strange montage of companions they had gathered, and how he did his part to end the blight, his betrayal. Not only to Abby but to all of Ferelden. He watched the pair, Tessa's eyes were unreadable, and Doyle's face a torrent of emotions ranging from shock, to understanding and then sympathy. They did not breath a word as Alistair continued his tale through out the evening and late into the night.

He told of the new world he found himself in, the strange sites, smells, and people. Cars, Motorcycles, Grand homes, and amazing food, drinks and mostly Frankie. He told them about his growing love for her, and hers for him. He talked with admiration about the strong woman she is, and who she is. The memories of that time they spent together was still fresh, and only made him miss her more. The night wore on and his story ended with his choice of stay with Frankie and die, or come back to Ferelden and live. Ultimately, it all came down to Frankie. She took that choice from him. A stab of anger bubbled up within him. Even though she did it to save him, he could not help but feel betrayed. He spoke of the last memories of them together. Where he held her tightly in his arms and drifted into the Fade, all the way to where he woke up violently, inside the cave where it all started. Stumbled out with his body still tired and sore, tripped and fell into a puddle of muck when Kellar came and pounced on him.

Alistair watched them both nervously, Tessa's expression still one of stone and Dyson's mouth gaping open in shock or disbelief, he could not tell. Tessa was the first to speak, this did not surprise him much, she seemed to be the type that spoke her mind.

"So yer telling me that YOU are the bastard prince?" She questioned him with her eyebrow raised.

"After everything I just said, that is what you focus on?"

"Aye, I do... do ye know why, Mud? Because the Bastard prince... The one man that could have put things to right, walked out in a hissy fit, because he couldn't get his way and what yer telling me is that... you're him?" For the most part her voice was even, but Alistair could hear her fight for control of her temper.

"I know how it sounds, but you have to understand..."

"UNDERSTAND!" Tessa growled as she stood up from her chair and made it topple over with a loud thud. "I understand all too well, Mud. I get it. Ye didn't like the outcome so ye ran away."

"Tessi," Dyson interjected

"Don't Tessi me, Dyson! Don't ye dare stand up for what he's done."

"You of all people should understand what it's like, Love."

"Oh should I now? Please, dear husband, shed some light on how I should understand this daft mess that this Templar Prince caused when he chose to fuck off and leave everyone in the hands of that bitch!"

"Doyle..."

"Ye will NOT bring my brother into this, so help me mage, I will kick yer ass from here right back to that fucking Circle tower."

Dyson flinched at her comment, and took a deep breath. "Tessa, you know I didn't mean it like that."

"Ye know what, Dyson, if yer so bent on defending the coward, then ye just go right ahead. I have a busy day tomorrow... I am going to bed." She grumbled, gave Alistair a wicked look before she stormed off into the bedroom and slammed the door shut.

"I'm sorry, Dyson, I didn't mean to..."

Dyson held out a hand to silence him, "It's alright, she's tired and she didn't mean it. One thing about my wife you need to know, if she's tired and angry she will say things she doesn't mean."

"Sounds like she meant it to me."

"Yes, I know, you will just have to trust me on this, she will be less like a dragon in the morning."

"I'll take your word for it."

Dyson pulled a chair closer to Alistair, his demeanor changed. Magic seemed to ooze from the mage. The feeling was strange to Alistair, he did nothing to keep control of his magic and yet he seemed in complete control, the idea made him slightly nervous.

"So tell me more about this place, Alistair, and of your Frankie. I have never heard a tale like it before."

"So you don't think I'm crazy?"

"No, I don't, I have heard stranger things before. I would like to help you, if you would let me?"

"Help? How could you help, I was told there was no other way. That there is no other way."

"Alistair, there is one thing you need to learn about magic... there is always a way, you just need to know where to look." Dyson smiled at him, and gave Alistair and small pat on the shoulder. "Besides, she's the love of your life, right?"

Alistair nodded with a sad smile, "She really is, I can't picture my life without her."

"I know how that feels. There is nothing I would not do for Tessa, and if it was her that was trapped some place away from me. I would storm the Black city itself if that's what it took to get her back safe."

"Thank you, I mean it, this... you don't even know me, and you said you don't trust me. Why would you go out of your way to help me now?"

"Trust has to be earned, and I can see how much pain you're in. I know Tessa sees it too."

"I don't know about that, Dyson, she seemed pretty upset."

"You'll see. I know her better then she knows herself," He chuckled, "Her anger is my fault, not yours. I shouldn't have mentioned him. I forget sometimes how touchy she can be about him."

"Her brother?"

"Yeah, Doyle is a good man, who's choices affected Tessa on many levels. They were close once, now her whole family is estrange from her, mostly because of me and it's hard."

"Oh, I don't mean to pry, but is that why she's mad about what I did?"

"It's a long story, but the short of it is... Tessa's family are from Starkhaven. Tessa and Doyle's younger sister, Nara, began to show signs of magic, and was taken to the Circle at a young age. It tore her family up pretty well. Their father was a man who very much feared mages but loved his family, and that caused even more troubles. The siblings were very close, and their mother would go to the Starkhaven tower with both of them in tow to beg for the release of her child. The Templars moved Nara to try and stop the woman's weekly barrages and brought the girl to wanted to free her sister, but Doyle stopped her at every turn, it came down to Doyle joining the Templars. He wanted to be able to watch over their sister. This drove Tessa mad, and when their sister came of age for her Harrowing, Doyle was there with her.

No one knew other than them that they were siblings. Nara didn't make it, she became possessed and Doyle had to strike her down. Tessa hasn't forgiven him for that. Regardless of the fact that there was no other choice. I remember her sister and her brother, Nara was a sweet girl and she looked a lot like Tessa."

Alistair felt like his blood had turned cold, he recalled the tower during the blight. All the demons running rampant. "If you're from the Circle, how have you stayed in hiding so long? I mean they would use your Phylactery to find you, wouldn't they?"

Dyson chuckled, "Yes well, that is a story for another night. I need to make amends with my dear wife. I am sure she is still fuming, so I have a lot to make up for. Your room next to ours. You can sleep there and in the morning we'll figure out what we can do to help."

"I... don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything, just get some rest and tomorrow is another day." Dyson sighed and patted his leg before he made his way the room that Tessa had stormed into earlier.

"Oh Dyson! Why does she call me Mud? It's not my name, and she insists on calling me by it."

Dyson laughed, "It's a good thing, it means she likes you, Alistair. I would worry if she stopped calling you Mud."

"Oh, so she likes me?"

"Well, so far it would seem that way. My wife is a good judge of character. "

"That's good, I mean that she likes me, I'm still not to fond of being called Mud though."

"Goodnight, Alistair."

"Goodnight."

Maybe the Maker was on his side for once. Things were horrible but he hoped that maybe, just maybe, they could help him get back to Frankie, or find a way to get her to him. Either way, he wanted to do everything he could to try and make it happen.

The spare room was small, just large enough for the bed and a night table. A small oil lamp had been lit and the window was open. A warm breeze fluttered in, and the smell of fresh air filled his lungs. This he did miss, the smells of Ferelden. New York always smelled funny, and he longed for the fresh air of home. He laid down on the bed, his eyes felt heavy. Muffled voices emanated from the next room, he felt bad for turning these people's lives upside down. He could hear Tessa voice raised, heated voices turned into shouting. Alistair wondered if he should go, maybe this was a bad idea, but Dyson's words turned in his mind. He could help bring Frankie here.

There was no way he could pass the chance of getting her here. No... he would stay. The sound of their heated argument died down to quiet murmurings, even though he could not hear the words, he knew the worst of it was over. As sleep began to take him, a new sound emanated from the next room. At first he was unsure if it was his mind playing tricks on him, but soon thereafter, the sound of soft moans grew louder. A woman's soft mewling, growing louder and then a male's groans matching the woman's, made Alistair's face flush. As much as he was happy that they were no longer arguing, this was worse, the sounds of their love making sent a shot of desire through him. His mind wandered back to the last night with Frankie, the feel of her hot skin under his hands as he slid them along her supple curves.

Alistair groaned, as the sounds grew louder, more abandoned. He covered his head with the pillow as he tried to drown out the sounds. He could feel himself growing hard as his body betrayed him. He fought to clear his mind of Frankie's image. It was one of the many things that made his Templar training came in handy. The thoughts of her, his need of her. His body gave in, the sounds in the next room became a faded haze, as the draw of sleep consumed him completely and he plunged blissfully into the fade.

**xxXxx**

Alistair was standing in front of the apartment. The image of it filled his heart with joy and he had a smile on his face that would light up the sky. Without wasting any time, he darted towards the front door and went inside. He so desperately wanted to see Frankie, hold her in his arms and never leave her again. As he entered the lounge, he was met by one person who he honestly never wanted to see again in his life. Upon seeing that person, he came to realize that his dreams had not come true. He was not really back in New York again, but stuck in the Fade, as part of some mean trick that was being played on him once again.

"Hello, Boy," She said.

"Oh, for the love of the Maker! What the hell are you doing here? What the hell do you want, and most importantly, why the hell won't you just leave me alone? Haven't you messed up my life enough already?" Alistair growled at her.

"Mind your tone, and your language when talking to me, Boy. I will have no problem turning you into a toad or some other small slimy thing that slithers or crawls. As for messing up your life... I have done nothing of the sort. I tried to warn you, Templar. And I tried to warn your woman too. You both simply chose not to listen. I did not mess anything up. You did that all on your own."

"Yes, you did. If you never magically made your appearance through countless riddles, then we wouldn't have known anything about getting me back to Ferelden or anything like that. I would have still been with Frankie in New York, and happy about all of it. You just like fucking with people's lives."

"I sent you those messages to lead you down the path that would take you _both_ to Ferelden. Without half of the disasters that you will now be facing... probably on your own too. All because you did not heed my warning and instead of trusting me, your Frankie went to the one man who caused your illness to begin with. He was the one that made you sick, and he played his cards brilliantly, don't you think? He got your Frankie panicked in such a way that he knew she would go looking for answers, looking for a way to save her precious man and that lead her straight to him. She jumped at the chance to save you, without thinking of the consequences,"

"I'm not going to stand here and listen to you go on and on about everything that I cannot change. If you want to continue talking to me, then I only want to know two things, and I want straight answers, no more riddles. Where is Frankie? Is there a way to get her back to Ferelden? Or to get me back to her?"

"That was three questions," she retorted.

"Maker damn you, Flemeth! If you don't answer me right now, I'll smite you into the next world!"

"Here we go with the threats again. If you carry on this way, Boy. I'll make you regret the day you were born. Your smite doesn't scare me. But I will answer your questions, however. I have been waiting for the opportunity to talk with you without disturbance for quite some time. Sit down and we will talk. If not, then the door is right behind you."

Alistair took a seat next to her, although all the powers that be shouted for him to just get the hell out of there. That it was just a trap or another goose chase that she would be sending him on. On the other hand, he desperately wanted to get to Frankie, no matter how many of the old witch's hoops he had to jump through. For Frankie, he would do it gladly. He sat back reluctantly, as he waited for the witch to start talking.

"I am not one who explains my actions, what would the fun be in that? But I do feel you deserve to know why this has been done to you."

"That would be a first," Alistair commented.

"Don't interrupt. If you want to know, then I suggest you shut your mouth, before I fuse it shut."

Alistair closed his mouth and once again waited for her to continue.

"What has happened to you I am not sure how or why it happened, the balance has been tipped and for whatever reason, it has changed everything. You going to her world has started a chain of events that will change the things that have been set in motion for centuries. You were sent to this world, even though you did not belong. I tried getting you back and keep all as it should be, but when you first set your eyes on her, everything changed. The world as it was suppose to be, is no longer, and she will play the most important part of all. Without her, you would be doomed. For things to work, the two of you were supposed to go back to Ferelden together. Francesca would only have been with you to serve as your companion and life-partner if you chose it to be so. But now her actions have changed that dramatically. She now has something that she never would have had. And in the end it will help her, but it could also be her destruction. You cannot be the one to go back to her or try and save her. You cannot even try to find a way to tell her that we need her. You are needed in Ferelden. There is nothing I can do to change that fate. It is already set. You have to be King. If you refuse, then you might as well say goodbye to the world you love and the love of your life, for that choice will doom them all."

"I don't understand, how would me not becoming King, destroy the world? Seems a little over dramatic."

"I cannot give away all the answers, and I would not, even if I could? Just know that for things to work out, you must have faith, both of you."

"I thought you said there was no other way to get her back? What's changed?"

"Things change, everything changes. Life would be so very dull without it. Like your new little friend said, 'where there's magic there's is always a way'," she cackled.

"I'm confused," he said as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"That does not surprise me."

"HEY!"

"Relax child, if you do what I say, things will unfold as they should. Listen to that apostate, he will be one of the keys to get her to you."

"Dyson?"

"How many apostates have you met since you've been back?"

"Good point..."

"My points are always good, you just have to open your ears and listen."

"I just want to see her again, I need to see her,"

"And why can't you?"

"W-What?"

"This is the Fade, Boy. All one has to do, is reach out and find what they are looking for,"

"But what about demons?"

"HA! What demon would be foolish enough to try anything while I am around, really Templar, do you think so little of my power?"

"Then how? How can I see her? I need to see her."

"All you have to do is look where you know she will be, and you shall find what you seek."

Alistair's heart begin to race, the sound hammered in his ears, as he bolted down the hallway, leaving Flemeth standing there alone, laughing as he went. He knew exactly where she would be, or at least he thought he did. The last place he had seen her, felt her, made love to her. He ran to the bedroom with all the strength and speed he had in him. He reached the door, took a deep breath and opened it.

She was there, standing by the window with her arms folded over her chest, as she always did when she was deep in thought or conflicted. Alistair didn't know whether to rush to her side and pull her into his arms or to make his presence known to her first. She definitely was the type of girl who would punch first and ask questions later. As much as he loved her, he didn't want to end up with a black eye just for saying hello. He didn't have to ponder about it long, as she noticed his presence as soon as he opened the door. She flung herself into his arms and clung to him so fiercely it almost knocked the breath right out of his lungs.

"Is it really you?" She gasped as she looked up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks and her voice shaky, "I had no idea if you had made it back in one piece, or if that son of a bitch had just tricked me. Is it you? Or is this just a trick to torment me?"

"Yes, Angelo d'amore, it's me. I'm here. I did make it back to Ferelden. I am alive, but miserable and lifeless without you."

"Then that's a lot for me to be grateful for. As long as you're alive, that is all that's important to me."

"I want to be with you, nowhere else."

"You're here with me now, Love. We'll just have to make the most of the time we have together. For all we know it may be the last ."

"Have you been waiting for me?"

"Yes, at least I think so. I have been waiting for you, but I have also been here since I fell asleep next to you. I remember something about waking up and being in pain, but it's all a bit fuzzy. That's when I came back here somehow, and remained here ever since. I have no idea how much time has passed or if any has passed at all. All I know is, is that this is a dream, or the Fade...something like that."

"So you're stuck here. Is that what you're saying?"

"I don't know, and at the moment, I don't care. I just want to spend as much time in your arms as I possibly can. Please don't let me go just yet," Frankie said as tears ran freely down her cheeks.

He could not hold back, he missed her so much, his need for her had became too intense. Quickly, he found her lips and kissed her deeply, passionately. He lifted his hands up and ran his fingers through her hair, a soft throaty moan rumbled in his chest as she pressed herself into him. They clung to each other desperately. He found himself wishing that he could make time stand still for them. He wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms forever. Alistair picked her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed. There they spent time, loving each a lifetime's worth. His hands slid lightly along her silken skin. They bodies joined together, two becoming one, wave after wave of heated passion. Truly a lifetime's worth, for what might be their last time. He needed to remember her. Every inch of her, how she felt, how she tasted and even though this was the Fade, it felt completely real and he never wanted it to end.

As Alistair laid there with the love of his life in his arms, he couldn't help but think about the road that lead them to where they are now. Everything that happened, everything that was forced upon them in some way or the other and even the choices that were beyond his control. He had to admit to that as much as he was grateful to finally have her close, he was also extremely pissed off and outraged at Frankie. It felt as if she took away his choices by doing what she did. He still didn't know exactly what deal she had struck to save him, but he knew that she had done something that had Louise and Bella very worried, by their hushed whispers while they were at his bedside.

They got up and got dressed. Alistair went over to the chair by the window and took a seat. He beckoned Frankie to sit on his lap. As she moved towards him, he could see that she knew his mind was once again filled with a thousand questions that he just needed to ask. She sat in the chair opposite from him and held his hands as she stared into his eyes instead. He knew she was waiting for him to start talking, so he granted her silent request.

"Why did you do it, Frankie? Why did you send me back?" He asked hurriedly, without choosing his words carefully.

"Are you seriously asking me that? You would have died if I didn't. If I had to choose between living a life without you, where I knew you were safe and alive, I would do it in a heartbeat. I would die for you if I had to, Alistair. Don't you know that by now?"

"Yes Love, I know. I would gladly do the same for you, but, I wanted to stay with you. I wanted to live what little life I had left with you, loving you till my last day. Why would you take that choice from me?"

"You would have died Alistair, and even though I can't live without you, I know I would definitely not have survived if I had to live while knowing that I could have done something to save your life, and didn't. Death isn't a choice and if you wanted to make an idiotic decision like that, then someone had to think rationally and choose the other road for you. That someone just happened to be me. I do not regret saving you and I would do it again and again if I had to. You mean the world to me, and there is nothing I wouldn't do for you."

"So I was being idiotic, was I? I had no right to choose what I wanted to do with my life? Once again, I was just being led around, told what to do and what to think? I am really starting to feel like a puppet under some or other person's command. I can't do what I want because it doesn't fit in with someone else's grand plan."

"Now you're just acting like an asshole, Alistair. Think about what you're saying for a minute..."

"No, I've had enough and you know what...Fuck that! I am done being a puppet. From now on I will do things my way. Whether good or bad, it will be my choices and mine alone. If I fuck up then I am the only one who will have to suffer for it."

He leapt out of his chair and bolted for the door. "Alistair! Where are you going? Are you just gonna throw a fit because things didn't go your way, and storm off again? Just leave and not care a fuck about what happens to who?" Frankie asked with her own temper flaring, she stood up and chased after him.

"No, I am going to find a way to save you this time. I am going to find a way for us to be together. Even if I have to die trying, I will do it. I refuse to go back to Ferelden and be King if I can't have you with me."

He could hear her calling after him, begging him to stop, but he couldn't. His resolve was unbreakable. Something inside him told him to look back, and as he did so, the last thing he saw was Frankie reaching out to him, begging for his help before lifelessly collapsing to the ground.

He sat straight up in his bed, screaming her name at the top of his voice.

"FRANKIE!"

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**Hidey Blankets and Endless Blushes.**

It might shock you that I am not writing an unbelievably bushy A/N this time...okay...maybe I still am. ;-) But this chapter signifies something special to me, and my loved ones know exactly what that is. So I decided to write a thank you note, and dedicate this chapter to them, thanking all of them for everything. Always being there, always ready to lend a hand or a shoulder. Anytime, day or night. From the bottom of my heart..Thank you.

To my Spanktastic beta's, **Isabella Monroe, Random Wittering and Bonkzy.**

_**Your arms were always open when I needed a hug.**_

_**Your heart understood when I needed a friend.**_

_**Your gentle eyes were stern when I needed a lesson.**_

_**Your irreplaceable heartiness, love and understanding has always been the source of my strength.**_

_**Your strength and love guided me and gave me the wings to help me soar.**_

_**A thousand thanks to you, my dear family, for your care, attention and love!**_

**HUGE Hugs** to **all the Cheeky, Spanky and Smutty Monkeys. A huge SMOOCH to fallenangelz, Pinoko K, Kira Tamarion and CCBug as well.**

**;-)**

* * *

**Feel free to join us on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age site. ht tp :/ / www .darkstorm. co .uk/cmda (Remove the spaces). Please use the same Pen-name as you do here on FF .net , otherwise we won't know who you are..and would most likely not let you come and play with us. Thanks for reading.**


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